Mumbai, Dec 5 (UNI) Ravichandran Ashwin picked up three wickets to put India in commanding position as New Zealand were reduced to 140 for the loss of five wickets on day three of the second Test match here at the Wankhede stadium on Sunday.
In pursuit of 540-run target, New Zealand lost their stand-in captain Tom Latham (6) off Ashwin before the teams were forced to take an early tea as the spider cam got stuck. It was too low to continue the play.
The off-spinner returned to pick up two more wickets in the third session. Black Caps opener Will Young (20) was caught at short leg by substitute Suryakumar Yadav and experienced Ross Taylor (6) holed out.
India pacer Umesh Yadav could have had his first wicket in this Test had he appealed and then convinced his captain to take a review. Nicholls, who was on 11, had nicked the inswinger onto his pad and on replays it was shown that the right-hander didn't hit the ball and it would have crashed onto his stumps.
Daryl Mitchell, who used his feet well especially against spinners, raised his bat to celebrate his fighting fifty off 76 balls. Both Mitchell and Nicholls stitched a solid 73-run partnership before Axar Patel got the much-needed breakthrough as he dismissed Mitchell for 60. A fine innings came to an end as the right-hander holed out to deep cover after dispatching the spinner for a maximum.
In no time New Zealand lost another wicket, with Tom Blundell making a blunder as he tried to steal a run when there was no chance. Blundell played the ball to mid-off and ran but substitute KS Bharat grabbed the ball and threw it to wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha who whipped off the bails.
Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra remained unbeaten on 36 and 2 respectively at stumps.
Earlier, India declared at 276 for 7, with Ajaz Patel taking four wickets and Rachin picking up three wickets. The New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz ended the innings with the best figures ever against India (and best at the Wankhede stadium) - 14 for 225, going past England's Ian Botham (13/106 against India in 1980).
India openers Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara stitched a solid 107-run partnership, which put the hosts in the driver's seat. While Mayank (62) registered another fifty-plus score, Pujara scored 47 before the duo were dismissed by Ajaz in quick succession.
Virat Kohli joined Shubman Gill, who came in at no.3, settled in no time and took India to 142/2 before heading for a well-deserved lunch. New Zealand's another left-arm spinner Rachin claimed his maiden Test wicket as well as denied Gill (47) of a half-century soon after the lunch. The right-hander gave an overhead catch at short cover area.
Shreyas Iyer and Kohli took India past the 200-run mark. Soon Ajaz returned to take his 14th wicket, with Iyer getting stumped after smashing two maximums. In no time Rachin bagged the prized wicket of the India captain, who dragged the ball back onto his own stumps. And Wriddhiman became Rachin's third wicket.
Axar and Jayant Yadav in the middle helped India cross their lead over 500. Axar played a quickfire knock of 26-ball 41 not out before India declared at 276/7.
UNI PN