Even when India took the lead in the third and final Test against New Zealand, it came for the first time in the series after another batting collapse for the hosts. India took a lead of 28 points on Day 2 Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai courtesy of a fine 90-run show from Shubman Gill and a fiery 60 from Rishabh Pant. Washington Sundar, meanwhile, remained unbeaten on 38 runs.
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On the other hand, Ajaz Patel took five wickets at a venue where he had great success. The left-arm spinner’s astonishing bowling after the lunch session took his total tally at the Wankhede to 19 wickets.
With the field increasingly favoring spinners as the Test progresses, India would not be satisfied with just a 28-run lead. But once again a batting collapse let them down – as has been the case throughout the series.
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Late Friday, India lost three wickets for six runs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Virat Kohli falling in just eight balls.
On Saturday, India did not concede this dramatically, but did concede six wickets for 83 runs. The hosts went from 180/4 in the 38th to 263 all out in the 60th.
In the previous two Tests, played in Bengaluru and Pune respectively, India’s weak batting had come to the fore as they succumbed to New Zealand bowlers time and again.
In the first Test, India were bowled out for just 46 runs – their lowest Test total at home – and were then dismissed for 462 runs in the second innings. In the second essay, India had lost seven wickets for 54 runs.
In the second Test, India went from 50/1 to 103/7 – losing six wickets for 53 runs – and then six wickets for 71 runs in the second innings (96/1 to 167/7).
It is no wonder that after such an unfortunate batting show, India have already lost the Test series, thus maintaining their enviable record of winning home Test series. When New Zealand won the first two Tests, they ended India’s 12-18 run at home Test series wins.
