Hello and welcome to Sportstar's LIVE coverage of day three of the second Test match between India and New Zealand played at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. This is V.S. Aravind and I will take you through the entire Test.
- Virat Kohli: I think it was a matter of not having enough intent in the first game. We played well in the first innings here with the bat. We also need to give credit to the New Zealand bowlers, they bowled in the right areas long enough, created a lot of pressure. There were hardly any opportunities, that meant you have to play extravagant shots for runs than just keep rotating strike. It was a combination of us not having the right kind of execution and New Zealand playing well. The consistency of their bowling was outstanding, forced us to do mistakes. We are usually a batting side that fights. Batsmen didn't do enough for the bowlers to attack. It's disappointing as a side when the batsmen don't back up the effort of the bowlers. To win series and matches outside home you need to have a balanced performance with bat and ball and in the field - take those chances as well. We need to go back, understand what went wrong and correct those things moving forward.
- Kane Williamson: Outstanding feeling. Fairly sporting surfaces in both Tests. Bowlers had to put it in the right areas, but this pitch played well on all the days, even though history suggests it flattens out after doing a bit initially. I think therein lies the value of the 30-40 run partnerships. I don't think the end result shows how tight that match was. We saw how many times the ball beat the bat. A fantastic series from outside and the way the guys stuck in. India are a world-class side and to beat them is quite satisfying. Jamieson's a very exciting talent, and contributed incredibly well with both bat and ball in both games. He's tall and gets bounce which is very helpful in these conditions. The runs he scored in the backend of both games were very valuable. Great progress for him. The guys had to be disciplined, and the wicket was doing enough, but the fast outfields did allow runs, and it was important to hang in there. A few heavy learning curves, a few good bits in this summer, but these are all part of it. You're always trying to improve and the two games here have been opportunities to learn too.
- Nicholls hits the winning runs and New Zealand beats India by 7 wickets.
- Appeal for a caught behind by Jadeja and India thinks Nicholls has nicked to the keeper. The umpire says No but Jadeja insists on going for the review. It turns out it's a No-ball! Scores level.
- Virat Kohli decides to have a bowl!
- New Zealand requires 11 more runs to win
- WICKET - Terrific delivery from Bumrah as he castles Blundell. It was almost a no-ball. Back of length, in-swinging one and it passes through the gate to uproot the off-stump. Class from Bumrah but wickets are coming a tad late for India.
- Tom Blundell hits fifty and what a fine innings this has been from him. Match-winning knock.
- WICKET - That's a ripper from Bumrah and he gets Williamson. Digs in short, the ball takes off on to Williamson who tries to fend it but the ball thuds his gloves and flies to Rahane at gully. Peach of a delivery.
- Kane Williamson is the new man in
- WICKET - Umesh Yadav strikes and Tom Latham departs for a well-made 52.
- Back-to-back half-centuries for Tom Latham and New Zealand needs just 29 runs more.
- Mohammed Shami suffered a ball impact injury while batting. He is receiving treatment for the same and is currently off the field.
- Post Lunch session and it will be Bumrah who will start proceedings.
- Lunch Day Three. New Zealand 46/0 Needs 86 runs to win.
- Blundell and Latham are moving on nicely and have added 41 runs for the opening stand. Shami, Umesh and Bumrah have looked effective but couldn't create a breakthrough.
- Dropped - Rishabh Pant puts down a tough one as Tom Blundell got an inside edge, Pant goes full stretch but fails to pouch it.
- The good news for India is Mohammed Shami is back on the field. He suffered a blow to his shoulder but now seems fine.
- Bumrah and Umesh are bowling a tight line but the New Zealand openers are underway. From India's point of view, it needs an early breakthrough.
- Tom Blundell and Tom Latham are out there in the middle and it will be Jasprit Bumrah operating with the new ball. Early wickets will be the key.
- We are back for the chase and surprisingly there was no Mohammed Shami in the team huddle. Shubman Gill takes the field.
- India could add only 34 runs for the last four wickets as New Zealand chases 132 runs to wrap the series 2-0.
- End of Innings: India 124 all out
- WICKET - A run-out was the least India wanted but Jasprit Bumrah ran without even listening to Jadeja's call and he is too late to make a return.
- SIX - Super shot from Jadeja as he smokes Trent Boult straight down the ground for a maximum.
- Jasprit Bumrah is the last man in.
- WICKET - End of Mohammed Shami as he goes for a long heave and ends up giving a simple catch at deep. This might just get over before Lunch!
- Onus lies on Ravindra Jadeja but how long can the tail wag is the question.. A quickfire 40 will be very handy.
- Mohammed Shami is out there in the middle.
- WICKET - Rishabh Pant's stay at the wicket comes to an end and so as India's hopes. This is poor batting. Boult strikes as India loses its eighth wicket. Boult bowls an away swinger, Pant pokes at it, gets an outside edge and the keeper does the rest.
- Ravindra jadeja is the new man in.
- WICKET - Strangled down the leg side and Vihari has to depart. Southee strikes early. Bad luck to get out that way after playing a fine cover drive. Seven down and India is staring down the barrell.
- FOUR- First boundary of the morning and Hanuma Vihari gets going with a gentle push through the covers. Lead crosses 100
- Overcast conditions although there is no rain as of now.
- Southee strays down the leg and Pant with a tickle to the fine leg takes a couple to get the proceedings underway.
- Southee to Pant, Day three, first ball. Here we go!
- Pant kisses the turf before stepping into the field and Vihari sprints off after a glove punch. Will be interesting to see how the duo approach the day. Important session for India.
- Out come the New Zealand plays and as for as India is concerned, it all boils down to the mental aspect.
- Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja hold the key for India and the first target is to get close to the 200-run mark as that will give the bowlers something to defend.
- A very warm good morning and we are all set for the third day's play to begin.
Recap of day two
The message from the second day’s play at Christchurch was loud and clear. In conditions where the ball seamed and bounced, this Indian side did not come close to being a world-beating side.
India is ranked No. 1 in Tests but the manner in which the Indian batsmen were dismissed in the second innings, undone by the short ball and with their footwork exposed, suggested this side is still on a learning curve in these conditions.
As many as 16 wickets fell on Sunday, as the second Test moved very quickly towards an early finish. On a hard pitch with a grass cover, the pacemen got bounce and movement.
Only the tenacious Cheteshwar Pujara received a ‘beauty.’ Trent Boult’s delivery, from round the wicket and wide of the crease, swung in prodigiously to go past the batsman’s defence.
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