India vs New Zealand Live Score Updates, 3rd Test Day 2: Bizarre Reason Forces Early Lunch, Shubman Gill Solid As India Trail NZ By 40 Runs

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Day 2 1st session Highlights –

India reached 195/5 to trail New Zealand by 40 runs at Lunch on day two of the third and final Test. Resuming at their overnight score of 86/4, Rishabh Pant (60) played a counter-attacking innings and raced to his fifty, while Shubman Gill (70 not out) also scored a half century. New Zealand were guilty of dropping a couple of catches but Ish Sodhi found the breakthrough for the tourists when he trapped Pant leg before in the 38th over.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: It’s early Lunch!

Early Lunch has been called as there was no play possible in the last four minutes. This was because a spidercam malfunctioned and got trapped in its own web. It came so down that the players and umpires had to wait for it to get corrected. By the time things got normal, umpires called for Lunch.

IND 195/5 (43)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Eyes on Sarfaraz Khan!

Focus is on Sarfaraz Khan, who is yet to come out to bat. He boasts over 600 runs across six innings in the first-class matches at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. His average at the venue is over 150. India must be having high hopes from the batter.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: OUT!

Big breakthrough for New Zealand! Rishabh Pant is out! An Ish Sodhi delivery turned sharply and hit him on the front pad. Umpire raised his finger over the appeal but Pant decided to review it. To the batter’s poor luck, the ball was found to be just brushing the leg stump on umpire’s call. India are five down now. 

IND 180/5 (37.3)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: India in control!

The ball is not doing anything at the moment. Indian batters Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill need to keep going like this. Maybe a calculated risk could be a better approach for Pant, who has already been given a life, as India are still 60 runs behind NZ’s total.

IND 175/4 (37)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: DROPPED!

Rishabh Pant too gets a life! This is poor fielding from New Zealand. Matt Henry is the fielder who has dropped it at long-off. And guess who is the bowler? It’s Glenn Phillips once again. He is simply unlucky in this session. Pant danced down the track and hit the full toss delivery right into the hands of Henry but the pacer dropped it.

IND 168/4 (34.3)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Drinks break!

What a beginning on Day 2 this has been for India! It’s simply a dream start. New Zealand could only rue about the dropped chance from substitute fielder Mark Chapman. Had the catch been taken, the story might have been different. As things stand now, India trail New Zealand by only 72 runs.

IND 163/4 (33)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: A terrific partnership!

Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant have added 77 runs for the fifth wicket so far and that has come off only 75 balls. India could not have asked for a better start on Day 2 of this Test match. There is not so much turn on the pitch as it was on the opening day. India should make it big from this point.

IND 161/4 (31)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Fifties for Gill, Pant!

Shubman Gill raced to his half-century on the first ball of the over while Rishabh Pant reached his fifty on the fourth ball. Pant took only 36 deliveries to score his half-century. Eight runs came off the Ish Sodhi over and India are in the driving seat at the moment. 

IND 159/4 (30)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Pant on FIRE!!!

Rishabh Pant is toying with the New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel at the moment. He is smashing them for fun. The southpaw first hit a reverse sweep to Ajaz for a four and then danced down the track to smash him for a six right over his head. 11 runs came off the over. 

IND 142/4 (28)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: DROPPED!

There was the chance for New Zealand. Glen Phillips had trapped Shubman Gill. The Indian batter hit the ball high in the air but substitute fielder Chapman made a massive blunder. He ran forward from long-on but dropped the catch. It’s a big-big moment in the game.

IND 127/4 (26.1)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: SIX!

Rishabh Pant is getting a liking towards Ajaz Patel. He is smashing him for fun. This time the Indian southpaw danced down the track and smashed it for a biggie over long-on. Runs keep coming for India and these are good signs.

IND 126/4 (25.3)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: FOUR!

That is a superb scoop shot from Rishabh Pant for a four. The fielder at fine leg was a wide and Pant took the opportunity to score through the region. He is troubling Ajaz Patel today. 

IND 112/4 (23.1)

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Another four in the over!

Pant got another four in the Ajaz Patel over as he scored a total of 12 runs in it with the help of three fours. India could not have asked for a better start.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Consecutives fours from Pant!

That is a really good start for Rishabh Pant and India. A fuller ball from Ajaz Patel and Pant has driven it down the ground for a four through the long-off region. Pant dances down the track on the very next delivery and smashes it down the ground for another four through long-off.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Time for action!

New Zealand players and the umpires walk into the ground. So do India’s Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. We are some seconds away from action.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: India aim to avoid whitewash!

Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team has already lost the first two matches of the series. This is a must-win game for them if they want to avoid a whitewash at the hands of New Zealand. Notably, India have never been clean swept in a Test series of three or more matches at home.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: India trail by 149 runs!

The fact that India are four down and still trail New Zealand by 149 runs puts the guests once again on top. The remaining Indian batters have their task cut out. Onus will be on overnight batters Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, who will resume the Indian innings today.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Live: Jadeja on India’s mini-collapse

Ravindra Jadeja feels that it is unfair to put blame on specific individuals for 10 minutes collective poor show that has left India in a precarious position on the opening day of the third and final Test against New Zealand. India collapsed from a secured 78 for one to totter at 86 for four in a short span of time during the closing stages of play as dismissals of Rohit Sharma (18), Virat Kohli (4) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (30) left the hosts in a bit of a quandary. “It all unfolded in a mere 10 minutes, (we) did not get any time to react. But it happens, it is a team game, any individual cannot be blamed specifically… small mistakes keep happening,” Jadeja told the media after end of play.

India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Live: Day 1 Highlights –

Shubman Gill (31 not out) and Rishabh Pant (1 not out) were at the crease as India ended the opening day of the third and final Test against New Zealand at 86 for 4, trailing by 149 runs. India were solidly put at 78 for 1 at one stage but they lost three wickets in 8 balls to hand advantage to New Zealand. Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja claimed his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket as India made a remarkable comeback to bowl out New Zealand for 235 runs. With four wickets to his credit, Washington Sundar also helped the hosts’ cause. Daryl Mitchell top-scored for New Zealand with a terrific 82, while Will Young hit 71. However, other batters failed to play promising knocks after New Zealand skipper Tom Latham won the toss and opted to bat.

Welcome guys!

Hello everyone, welcome to the live blog of Day 2 of the ongoing third Test match between India and New Zealand. Stay connected for all the live updates.