India set New Zealand 540-run target

Team Udayavani, Dec 5, 2021, 2:18 PM IST

Mumbai: India declared their second innings at 276 for seven to set New Zealand an improbable victory target of 540 on the third day of the second and final Test here on Sunday.

First-innings centurion Mayank Agarwal top-scored with a 62, while Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill made 47 each. Axar Patel smashed 41 off 26 balls with four sixes and three fours.

For the visitors, left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel followed up his historic 10-wicket haul with four more scalps in India’s second essay.

With a match haul of 14/225, Ajaz now has the best bowling figures in a Test against India.

At the lunch break, the home team was placed at 142 for two.

Resuming at overnight 69 for no loss, India lost the wickets of Mayank Agarwal (62) and Pujara in the first session but still strengthened their hold of the match.

After bowling out New Zealand for 62, India had decided against enforcing follow-on despite taking a huge first-innings lead of 263 runs.

Brief Scores:

India: 325 and 276 for seven declared in 70 overs (Mayank Agarwal 62, Cheteshwar Pujara 47, Shubman Gill 47; Ajaz Patel 4/106, Rachin Ravindra 3/56).

New Zealand 1st innings: 62 all out in 28.1 overs (Ravichandran Ashwin 4/8, Mohammed Siraj 3/19).

New Zealand 1st inning : 13-1 (4 overs)