Following their dismal Test innings, which saw them register the team’s lowest ever total, Team India is up and running in the second innings of the ongoing first Test match against New Zealand in Bengaluru. The hosts managed to reach 231/3 at Stumps on Day 3 and trail by 125 runs.
Chasing New Zealand’s 366-run lead, the Indian openers provided the much-needed stability before Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli added salt to injury with a hair-raising duel. Rohit in the course of the innings managed to score a half-century of 52 runs off 63 balls before he was eventually dismissed. Kohli then partnered with Sarfaraz Khan and the two added a century for the third wicket.
The former Indian captain was foxed on the final delivery of the day returning to the pavilion after scoring 70 off 102 deliveries while Sarfaraz carried his bat finishing on seventy from seventy-eight.
After the final session of play, Anil Kumble speaking on JioCinema, expressed lots of optimism that the hosts could very well lead even before the end of the morning session on Saturday.
“India will get close or can even take the lead by lunch (on Day 4). If they can ahead by 150 runs or so then who knows they can actually win this Test,” Kumble recommended on Jio Cinema.
“However we know how Indian batters bat. If they can get to that 150 ahead or 175 ahead then yes, it’s a tough ask for New Zealand because for every run India scores above 125 lead, New Zealand will be thinking We’ll have to get a few runs more now which will cause the pressure. That will be a piece of thought which I am sure India will ride on, that can be disturbing,” he further added.
During Day 3 of the match, Rachin Ravindra made a hundred, and the team from New Zealand was able to pile a score of 402, in reply to 46 of India’s first-innings. Ravindra played an admirable innings of 134 runs on 157 balls with 13 fours and 4 sixes. With Day 4 on the horizon, India’s focus will be to carry on with the good batting displayed the previous day, as well as, set up a well-fought resistance.
