India’s batters lost the plot in a matter of 20 minutes, leaving the side at a jittery 86/4 after Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar gave the hosts the early bragging rights by dismissing New Zealand for 235 on an eventful day one of the third and final Test in Mumbai on Friday. Jadeja (5/65) and Sundar (4/81) did their job to perfection but India’s batting continued to be a weak link as the side lost three wickets in the space of eight balls, starting with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s (30) inexplicable reverse slog sweep. With his 14th five-for in Tests, Jadeja also moved ahead of former pace bowling teammates Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma to climb to the fifth spot in the list of highest wicket-takers for India in the format.
With 314 wickets so far, Jadeja is now behind Harbhajan Singh (417 wickets) in the all-time list.
India, who lost by eight wickets in Bengaluru and by 113 runs in Pune, are in a desperate position to remain alive in the race to the World Test Championship final but the contest seems to be slipping away.
If Virat Kohli (4) missed an innocuous full toss to be cleaned up in first innings at Pune was an aberration, the batting maestro ran himself out in ending stages of the first day’s play which left India staring at a mountain to climb.
India’s rapid fall displayed their fast eroding confidence with the bat as Rohit Sharma (18) too was among those who fell without making a significant dent.
In between the loss of the team’s batting pillars, Jaiswal and Shubman Gill (31 not out) forged a 53-run stand for the second wicket before the closing stage collapse.
Rohit, playing only his second Test on his home turf of the Wankhede Stadium, dazzled with a few attractive strokes to get off the blocks quickly but failed to make the most of a reprieve.
William O’Rourke spilled a tough chance at fine leg off Henry when Rohit pulled one towards his left with the fielder also covering fair distance to get to the ball in the fifth over.
In the seventh, Rohit played awkwardly at a back of a length ball, looking to work it on the leg side, the Indian skipper was perhaps surprised with the bounce as he closed the face of the bat but the ball flew to his counterpart Tom Latham in the second slip.
Rohit’s fall had Gill joining Jaiswal and the two did try to rebuild before the latter’s dismissal.
Earlier, spinners ruled the roost as Jadeja (5/65) and Washington (4/81) shared nine wickets between them to keep New Zealand to 235 after the visitors opted to bat.
Washington sparkled with a crucial two-wicket burst claiming key wickets of New Zealand captain Tom Latham (28) and the in-form Rachin Ravindra (5).
Even though Will Young (71) and Daryl Mitchell (82) played outstanding knocks, on a spin-friendly track, humidity and heat tested the Kiwis’ resolve while they pushed full tilt to counter India’s spin threat.
Young and Mitchell put New Zealand on track for a big first innings score but Jadeja played a decisive role in pegging them back and handing the advantage to India with his mastery over the pitch and the conditions, picking five wickets along the way.
R Ashwin, deployed first among the Indian spinners, remained wicket-less despite his variations but his bowling partners exploited the pitch perfectly, particularly left-arm Jadeja who bowled comparatively quicker and attacked the wickets.
New Zealand, who crumbled from 159 for three to 235 all out predominantly against Jadeja, did deserve credit for braving the conditions which had their highest scorer in the innings, Mitchell, really struggling in the middle.
The burly batting all-rounder consumed liquids frequently and kept dropping to his haunches and even lay flat on his back as he made a fighting 82 off 129 balls, laced with three fours and as many sixes.
Mitchell felt the heat more than anyone else also because he dealt a lot in singles and doubles until he brought up his maiden fifty of the tour. Each of this three sixes came towards the end.
Like Mitchell, Young too looked set for a century but Jadeja’s brilliance ended his knock.
Getting one to turn away against Young’s front-foot defence, Jadeja had the ball kissing the shoulder of the bat and Rohit did the rest at first slip, bringing an end to a fine knock in which Young scored 71 off 138 balls with four fours and two sixes.
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