New Delhi: New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel bowled an exceptional spell for New Zealand during India’s second innings in the morning session on Day 3 of the ongoing 3rd Test between the two teams at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The left-arm spinner dismissed Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill in successive overs to rattle India in their 147-run chase.
India were hoping for a good start after being handed a tricky target of 147 runs in their second innings. However, the hosts got off to a nightmarish start as the New Zealand spinners dominated the proceedings with help on offer from the pitch. Patel produced a magical delivery to castle Gill’s stumps as the India no.3 was sent back cheaply on just 1 off 4 balls.
The dismissal took place on the final delivery of the 4th over of India’s innings when Gill misjudged a brilliant delivery from Patel and was left bamboozled. It was a flighted delivery from the left-arm spinner with Gill expecting it to turn away from him. However, the ball landed around off and spun in sharply to rattle the right-hander’s stumps.
Shubman Gill castled by Ajaz Patel. 🤯pic.twitter.com/fgOhnLQ7B4
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 3, 2024
Patel didn’t stop there as he came back to pile more pressure on India by dismissing Kohli in his next over. The star India batter, whose struggles against spin are no secret, was caught by Daryl Mitchell at first slip after failing to handle a sharp turning delivery from the left-arm spinner. Kohli endured another dismal outing as he was dismissed cheaply on 1 off 7 balls in India’s second innings.
India in trouble in 147-run chase
India were left in a huge spot of bother in their 147-run chase in the second innings after losing half their side on 29 runs. Indian batters struggled to tackle the New Zealand spinners on the turning track on Day 4 as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Skipper Rohit Sharma was dismissed on 11 by Matt Henry before the others crumbled to spin.
Patel dismissed both Gill and Kohli on 1 apiece before Glenn Phillips got rid of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal cheaply on just 5 off 16 deliveries. Patel picked up his third wicket by dismissing Sarfaraz Khan on 1 after the right-hander slog-swept him and was caught by Rachin Ravindra. India need a big partnership between Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja to stay in the run chase and pull off a victory in the 3rd Test.
A third consecutive defeat in the third Test would mean New Zealand will clean sweep the Test series 3-0, marking India’s first whitewash at home in a three-match Test series.
