Welcome to Sportstar's Highlights of Day 4 of the first Test match between India and New Zealand from the Green Park International Stadium in Kanpur.
RECAP: The first session belonged to New Zealand, but it has been India's day. Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha and R. Ashwin starred with the bat before Ashwin returned to get William Young out lbw. Replays showed the ball would've missed the stumps, but Young was too late to review. New Zealand enters day five, needing 280 to win with nine wickets in hand. For New Zealand, Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee were excellent with the bat. But the two had little help from the Kiwi spinners. That would be all from our side. Join us tomorrow for a riveting day five.
Axar continues. Somerville sent in as nightwatchman. Just one run off it in the end. It's stumps.
NZ 3/1 in 3 overs: Srikar Bharat replaces Saha behind the stumps. Young on strike. Young has been given out lbw! He reviewed as the clock ran out! He has to go, though. But replays show the ball would have missed the stumps by a big margin!
NZ 1/0 in 2 overs: Axar Patel to share the new ball. He starts with three dots. Latham's defence has been watertight thus far. Maiden over for Axar.
NZ 1/0 in 1 over: Ashwin with the new ball. New Zealand run chase gets underway. Four men around the bat. Latham and Young to start proceedings. Latham off the mark with a single off the last ball.
Here we go.
INDIA HAVE DECLARED! Saha remains unbeaten on 61. 13 overs left in the day's play but with light fading, highly unlikely that we will get all 78 balls in. The run chase will resume shortly. Stay tuned!
IND 234/7 in 81 overs: Southee back into the attack. Saha puts one away through deep extra for four. Nine off the over in the end.
IND 225/7 in 80 overs: Ashwin is seen putting his bowling shoes on. Four singles off that Somerville over. India 274 ahead. The new ball is available now.
IND 221/7 in 79 overs: Ajaz continues. Signs of aggression from Axar, who uses his feet well and clobbers it over mid-wicket for six. Ishant is padded up. So no signs of declaration yet.
IND 213/7 in 78 overs: Saha brings up his sixth half-century with a brace off Somerville. 51 off 115 balls. Just two from the over.
IND 211/7 in 77 overs: Ajaz Patel into the attack. Saha moves to 48 with a single off the first ball. A single off the fifth moves him to 49.
IND 208/7 in 76 overs: Somerville goes for two in his 14th. Axar still watchful, Saha just three away from a well-deserved fifty.
India lead by 255 runs. When should they declare? At the moment, it looks they are batting to put this match beyond NZ's reach.
- DRINKS BREAK -
IND 206/7 in 75 overs: Here's Jamieson. Daryl Mitchell is on the field for Tim Southee. Just a couple of singles off that over.
IND 204/7 in 74 overs: Somerville continues. Just one off the over. New Zealand simply going through the motions. How long before the two batters start to attack?
IND 203/7 in 73 overs: Jamieson replaces Southee. Saha hops and guides a good length to deep point for a single. He moves to 44 off 100 balls.
IND 202/7 in 72 overs: A single for Saha at backward point. Somerville beats Axar just outside off with a full one.
IND 201/7 in 71 overs: 200 up for India in 70.4 overs as Axar squeezes one to deep point for a single.
IND 198/7 in 70 overs: Tight maiden from Somerville but Axar looked very confident defending it back to him.
IND 198/7 in 69 overs: Axar swivels and pulls Southee late for a single. A rare loosener from Southee on the pads and Saha tucks it behind to the boundary. He moves on to 40 off 92 balls with that four.
IND 193/7 in 68 overs: Somerville continues. A single each for Saha and Axar as they punch off the backfoot to Somerville's slightly back of length deliveries.
IND 191/7 in 67 overs: Saha hooks a short one from Southee for a single and holds his neck in discomfort. Axar slices close to his body for a couple at deep point.
IND 188/7 in 66 overs: Bowling change and Somerville comes over the wicket to Saha. He dabs it late with an open face for a couple at third man. Somervile comes round the wicket and gets Saha's outside edge on a front foot defensive shot. Three runs from the over.
IND 185/7 in 65 overs: FOUR! In the slot and Axar drives straight past Southee, who just gets a hand to it. Slower one by Southee and it shapes away from Axar's driving edge to beat him. It went off away off a crack and the Indian pacers will be eyeing that area keenly. Very wide outside off to end the over.
IND 180/7 in 64 overs: Axar drives Jamieson through cover but well-fielded to keep it to a single. Saha negotiates a well-directed bouncer to turn it away for one more and keeps strike.
IND 178/7 in 63 overs: Saha carves it beautifully through covers and it takes some doing by Ajaz to keep it to a couple. Two runs from Southee's over.
IND 176/7 in 62 overs: FOUR! Pitched around good length by Jamieson but it keeps low and Saha guides it with an open face to the third man boundary. FOUR! Pulled away by Axar to the square leg boundary. What a way to get off the mark.
IND 167/7 in 61 overs: Axar is the new man in. Defends Southee on the first ball after the break. Three more dots as Southee keeps it outside off and Axar doesn't look to attack.
Back for the third and final session. How much will India be looking to have on the board before allowing New Zealand to bat? It leads by 216 runs with three wickets in hand.
TEA DAY 4 - IND 167/7 in 60.2 overs
SESSION RECAP
Brilliant fifty from Shreyas Iyer has put India in the ascendancy in Kanpur. He was unfortunate to get out just before the tea break. Saha is the unbeaten batter at the crease. Iyer was involved in two big partnerships - one with Ashwin, during which the two steadied India's dwindling innings and second with Saha, where both batters looked to up the scoring rate. New Zealand under pressure. We will be back with the final session shortly. Stay tuned.
SHOT! Iyer punishes this half volley from Southee with a sublime flick through midwicket. Iyer is caught behind next ball! He goes for 65 off 125. And that's tea.
INDIA 163/6 IN 60 OVERS: Jamieson is back into the attack. Iyer takes a single and gets off strike. Just a single from it. A very good bouncer from Jamieson to end the over and equally well left by Saha, who dropped his wrists and swayed away.
INDIA 162/6 IN 59 OVERS: Two from the Southee over. India's lead is now past 210. One gets the feeling that the match is starting to slip away from New Zealand's grasp. Chasing above 200 on a day four-five wicket against a quality spin trio won't be easy.
INDIA 160/6 IN 58 OVERS: Shreyas Iyer flexing his power-hitting now. He goes inside out over extra cover for four. That's also the fifty of this partnership. Patel bearing the brunt. And another boundary for Iyer, who hits one wide of point. Eight from the over.
INDIA 152/6 IN 57 OVERS: Southee back into the attack. Just a single from that over as the partnership between Iyer and Saha nears 50.
INDIA 151/6 IN 56 OVERS: Iyer gets to his fifty with a single! Brilliant knock and the lead is now 200. Just a single off that over. Shreyas Iyer is the first Indian with a century and a fifty on men's Test debut.
INDIA 150/6 IN 55 OVERS: Another late cut from Iyer off Somerville, this time just for a couple. He has played that shot really well. A single takes Iyer to 49 and India's lead to 199.
INDIA 147/6 IN 54 OVERS: Saha and Iyer collect a single each off Patel in this over as India continues to collect runs nice and easy. No real threat from the NZ bowlers yet.
INDIA 145/6 IN 53 OVERS: Here's Somerville again. 2 byes to Saha as the ball turns and keeps low, beats the keeper and the man at leg-slip. Next ball, Saha once again chips the ball just out of Nicholls' reach at mid-wicket for a single.
INDIA 140/6 IN 52 OVERS: First ball of Patel's new over, Iyer slams a six straight down the ground. Terrific knock thus far - been the pivot around the Indian batting has revolved in this innings. India lead by 189 runs.
INDIA 132/6 IN 51 OVERS: Somerville continues. Just one from the over. If you leave out Ashwin's wicket - this session has gone India's way thus far. Iyer has exhibited an assured defence while Saha seems to be opening up now.
INDIA 131/6 IN 50 OVERS: Saha is almost front on to the bowler in his stance. Meanwhile, just one run off Patel's over. How long before Williamson turns to his quicks? New Zealand need wickets and fast. That lead is now nudging the 200-run mark.
INDIA 130/6 IN 49 OVERS: Here's Somerville. Spin from both ends. Some aggression from Saha as he uses his feet and drags one just out of reach of the fielder at mid-wicket for four. In fact, the ball went through Henry Nicholls hands! Next ball, Saha slog sweeps for six.
INDIA 120/6 IN 48 OVERS: Ajaz replaces Jamieson after the break. Starts with six dots on the trot.
-DRINKS BREAK -
INDIA 120/6 IN 47 OVERS: Somerville continues. Just one run off that over. Partnership between Iyer and Saha is now 17. India lead by 169 runs.
INDIA 119/6 IN 46 OVERS: Saha is batting with an open stance and standing outside the crease vs Jamieson, who has just bowled his sixth maiden of this innings. His economy rate is 2.08 at the moment.
INDIA 119/6 IN 45 OVERS: William Somerville replaces Ravindra. Iyer gets a single first ball. Saha cuts one away for a couple. The dual bounce is becoming more and more apparent now. Few keeping low, some bouncing more than expected for spinners and the medium pacers. Saha takes a single off the last ball.
INDIA 115/6 IN 44 OVERS: Two singles and a brace from this Jamieson over. Jamieson so far: 11-5-25-3. India, meanwhile, inching towards that 200-mark.
INDIA 111/6 IN 43 OVERS: Ravindra offers little width and Iyer cuts it away for four. Iyer is having a memorable first Test match. Good comeback from Ravindra - five dots to end the over.
INDIA 107/6 IN 42 OVERS: Jamieson continues. Saha on strike. Three dots. And three more make it a maiden. India lead by 156.
INDIA 107/6 IN 41 OVERS: Ravindra bowling unchanged from the other end. Saha gets off the mark by opening the face of the bat and guiding the ball past short fine for three. The pitch, as you would expect from a Day four surface, has a lot more purchase for the spinners now.
INDIA 103/6 IN 40 OVERS: Jamieson into the attack. Ashwin gets an inside edge onto the back leg and then onto the stumps. Unfortunate end to a good innings. Ashwin goes for 32. Saha joins Iyer. He will be on strike. This has been an excellent over from Jamieson. Wicket maiden for the towering medium pacer.
INDIA 103/5 IN 39 OVERS: Nearly a third consecutive maiden for Ravindra but Ashwin collects a single off the last ball.
INDIA 102/5 IN 38 OVERS: The 50-run stand comes up between Ash and Iyer with a single off Southee. India's lead is now 150. Two singles from that over but this pair has looked untroubled thus far. A lead of more than 200 will make India favourites on this pitch.
INDIA 100/5 IN 37 OVERS: NZ on the defensive at the moment. Ravindra continues. Ashwin on strike. Ravindra is getting turn and bounce. He slips in another maiden.
INDIA 100/5 IN 36 OVERS: Southee drops short outside off, and Ashwin pulls it wide of mid-on for four. Ashwin has looked at ease vs Southee. He has been striding forward and presenting an unyielding forward defence too.
INDIA 95/5 IN 35 OVERS: Ravindra continues. Couple of dots to Iyer. Four dots follow and it's a maiden over.
INDIA 95/5 IN 34 OVERS: Here's Southee. Iyer gets a thick outside edge between the wide slip and gully for four. Runs coming nice and fast for this pair now. Iyer and Ashwin get a single each. A quick single to end the over. This partnership is nearing 50.
INDIA 88/5 IN 33 OVERS: Ashwin on strike. Rachin Ravindra to start proceedings. Starts off with two dots. Southee and Jamieson are warming up. Ashwin plays a delightful late cut for four.
Welcome back for the post-lunch session. New Zealand would want to clean up the tail as quickly as possible. Shreyas and Ashwin, meanwhile, have done well to thwart the Kiwi attack and would hope to add more heft to India's total.
LUNCH DAY 4 - INDIA 84/5 IN 32 OVERS.
SESSION RECAP
Another Tim Southee special on a rather dead pitch for seam bowling has India in a spot again. He removed Mayank and Jadeja in the same over, with one shaping away and one jagging back in. Jamieson got the flow of wickets going by getting Pujara early in the day with some bounce uncharacteristic of the pitch. Rahane's defence was breached by Ajaz to hand only the third wicket for a Kiwi spinner in the match before Southee's scintillating masterclass in swing bowling put India on the mat. However, Shreyas and Ashwin rode out a difficult phase to take India's lead to 133 runs without further hiccups. Looking at the way the pitch is playing, India will be happy to put 200 runs between itself and the world champion. Back with the second session at 12:10 PM IST . Stay tuned!
IND 84/5 in 32 overs: Last over before Lunch. Ashwin looked to drive one through the off and missed. It missed the stumps and the keeper too and one bye. Shreyas kicks away the last ball - it was wide outside leg. Lunch Day 4.
IND 83/5 in 31 overs: Maiden for Ravindra. Looks like Shreyas is in no mood for taking risks on the brink of Lunch as he defends a juicy full-toss.
IND 83/5 in 30 overs: Somerville comes into the attack. Short first ball and Shreyas shuffles and nudges it behind for a single. Ashwin defends the next five balls - some solid defence from him.
IND 82/5 in 29 overs: Three runs from the over. Ashwin pulls a short one for a couple at mid wicket. Foot use of the feet by both batters.
IND 79/5 in 28 overs: Ashwin edges it and another one goes through the gap between slip and gully.
IND 75/5 in 27 overs: Two runs from two overs, a single apiece from Southee's and Ravindra's over.
IND 73/5 in 25 overs: Maiden over from Ajaz. Keeps it on the stumps and Shreyas defends on the front foot.
IND 73/5 in 24 overs: Shreyas collects a single at cover and just the one from it. Southee bowls a tight length on and around off.
IND 72/5 in 23 overs: Another boundary for Ashwin off Ajaz. A bit of room on off and he rocks back and cuts it late between point and cover.
IND 66/5 in 22 overs: FOUR! Driven arrow straight by Ashwin to the straight boundary. Beautifully driven through covers for a couple. Shreyas gets one fine to the boundary off his pads. 11 runs from Southee's over.
IND 55/5 in 21 overs: A late cut at third man and Shreyas collects a boundary from that Ajaz over.
IND 51/5 in 20 overs: OUT! Mayank edges to second slip. It moves away from a good length and Mayank edges it trying to defend. OUT! Jadeja is trapped in front. He reviews but this one looked straight. It came in from a good length and through Jadeja's defences. Two wickets in the over for Southee. Ashwin plays out two dots and a double wicket maiden for Southee.
IND 51/3 in 19 overs: Ajaz gives nothing away in that over. Bowls it at good length and Shreyas defends.
IND 51/3 in 18 overs: Southee replaces Jamieson. FOUR! Shreyas pokes outside off and it pierces the gap between the keeper and second slip. 50 up for India .
IND 46/3 in 17 overs: Shreyas is off the mark with single off Ajaz. FOUR! Mayank steps out and takes it on the full to smash it straight to the boundary.
IND 41/3 in 16 overs: Another maiden for Jamieson. Keeps it in the good length area and suprises Mayank with a well-executed bouncer. A rare sight on this pitch.
IND 41/3 in 15 overs: Driven by Rahane beautifully through covers and he is off the mark off his 14th ball. OUT! Rahane goes next ball. Keeps low and thuds onto the front pad straight in front. Ajinkya Rahane lbw b Ajaz Patel 4(15b 1x4 0x6). Shreyas comes in at 4 and takes his leg stump guard. Comes forward to defend.
IND 36/2 in 14 overs: The ball is being changed and it looks a bit newer than a 13-over old red cherry! Swing for Jamieson straightaway. Keeps the batters quiet with a good length outside off and a maiden over for him.
IND 36/2 in 13 overs:FOUR! Short from Ajaz and Mayank pulls it to the square leg boundary. Ajaz is extracting spin and is right on the stumps, pinning Mayank back.
IND 32/2 in 12 overs : New Zealand reviews for caught behind. Short down legside and Pujara got some glove trying to leave it late. OUT! Second wicket for Jamieson and India loses one early. Angles it in off a good length to Rahane and it beats him and onto the pads. Half-hearted appeal turned down. Jamieson is extracting some bounce, which surprises Rahane and beats him on the cut. Maiden wicket for Jamieson.
IND 32/1 in 11 overs: Ajaz Patel in for some spin. He keeps it tight on the stumps and just a single to Pujara.
IND 31/1 in 10 overs: The highest successful run chase in 22 Tests in Kanpur is 83 while the highest fourth innings score is 240. New Zealand won't like those stats! Just one from the over as Jamieson keeps it full in the channel.
IND 30/1 in 9 overs: Southee is pitching it fuller looking for swing but doesn't seem to find it. Drags his length to the good length area and just outside off. Some movement for him there but Mayank leaves. A single from the over.
IND 29/1 in 8 overs: Loud appeal LBW appeal. Turned down. Middle and leg from Jamieson and Mayank misses trying to flick it...was missing leg. Pujara clips one for two. Awkward bounce, edged and drops short of slip. The bounce is still very low with the edges not carrying.
IND 25/1 in 7 overs: Southee misses his line as well on the first ball. Fullish and on the pads and Pujara flicks it to square leg for a couple. Good line and length from Southee and just the two from the over.
IND 23/1 in 6 overs: Strays down leg first ball. FOUR! Sprayed on the pads and Pujara tickles it away fine to the boundary. Drifts onto the pads again and flicked to backward square leg for a single. FOUR! Good length on fifth stump and Mayank's thick outside edge runs to the third man rope.
The players have walked onto the field. Pujara and Mayank will resume proceedings for India and Jamieson will bowl the first ball.
Day 4 LIVE action will begin at 9:30 AM IST. Stay tuned!
DAY 3 RECAP
After two days of fast-bowling exhibition, Axar Patel brought back the familiar sight of wreckage by spin to give the home team the upper hand in the first Test here. The left-arm spinner continued his dream run in Test matches, claiming his fifth five-wicket haul in seven innings as New Zealand was bowled out for 296 in the first innings, failing to build on its foundation set by the openers.
READ : IND vs NZ: Axar Patel picks fifth fifer in four Tests
India was ahead by 63 at stumps, with Shubman Gill having been dismissed bowled for 1 by an excellent delivery from Kyle Jamieson that pitched on a good length and snuck through the defences.
Gill’s dismissal was the odd stumble by India as Axar, the star of the day, spun a tight web around the batters. Two of Axar’s wickets were off deliveries bowled from around the wicket that straightened after pitching. The right handers played for the angle created by his round-arm action and paid the price for it. The left-handers, on the other hand, were beaten by the sharply turning deliveries from over the wicket. It helped that the pitch assisted turn. All in all, the left-arm spinner was quite a handful and overshadowed his spin partners R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja securing the spotlight for himself.
-Abhishek Mukherjee
India Playing XI: Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.
New Zealand Playing XI: Tom Latham, Will Young, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William Somerville.
SQUADS
India: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Mayank Agarwal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Srikar Bharat, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, Prasidh Krishna. Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill, Umesh Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav, Jayant Yadav.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell (vc), Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, William Somerville, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, Will Young.
WHERE TO WATCH IND VS NZ 1ST TEST DAY 4 LIVE?
India vs New Zealand first Test Day 4 will be aired LIVE on the Star Sports Network at 9:30 AM IST. The match will also be available for live streaming on Disney+Hotstar .
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