India vs New Zealand 2nd Test: New Zealand Dominates Day 3, India Faces Uphill Battle

On Day 3 of the second Test match between India and New Zealand, the visitors solidified their grip on the game, leaving India with a daunting task to salvage the match. New Zealand, led by captain Tom Latham, resumed their second innings with a significant lead of 301 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

Latham was in impressive form, scoring 86 runs off 133 balls, including 10 fours, before being dismissed by Washington Sundar. Sundar continued his excellent form, taking four wickets on Day 2 and adding to his tally, making it 11 dismissals in the match. Other key wickets taken by Sundar included those of Devon Conway (17), Rachin Ravindra (9), and Daryl Mitchell (18).

At stumps on Day 2, New Zealand were 198/5, with Tom Blundell (30*) and Glenn Phillips (9*) remaining unbeaten. This strong position was further bolstered on Day 3 as New Zealand continued to extend their lead. The Kiwis eventually declared their second innings, setting India a target of 359 runs to win the match.

India’s first innings had been a disappointment, with the team bowled out for 156 in response to New Zealand’s first innings total of 259. Mitchell Santner was the standout bowler for New Zealand, taking a seven-wicket haul (7/53) that included the wickets of key Indian batsmen such as Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja top-scored for India with 38 runs off 46 balls.

With three days left in the Test and clear skies forecasted, New Zealand is in no rush to declare, aiming to build an insurmountable lead. India faces an uphill task, needing to bat out the remaining days on a pitch that is expected to deteriorate further, making batting increasingly difficult.

The Indian bowlers, particularly Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, and Ravichandran Ashwin, will be crucial in their attempt to restrict New Zealand’s lead and give their team a chance to salvage the match. However, with New Zealand’s strong position, it appears that the game is firmly in their favor.