INDORE: What India encountered in the first session on Monday was something they wouldn’t have expected. New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Martin Guptill, who both scored half-centuries, looked set to provide a solid reply to India’s first innings total of 557, as Virat Kohli struggled to get a breakthrough. However, the dismissal of Latham just before lunch by Ravichandran Ashwin triggered the momentum India’s way, and from there on the hosts took a complete control as they rolled the visitors to 294 in the third session to take 258-run lead. India had enough time to add further 18 more runs as they ended Day Three in the driver’s seat with an overall lead of 276 runs with 10 wickets in hand.
Ashwin, once again, proved the difference between the two sides as he picked up his 20th five-wicket haul as he finished with figures of 6 for 81. He also had his hand in two run-outs, thank to deflection of his own bowling, which caught the runner – Guptill and Jeetan Patel -- short off the crease. It wasn’t easy for Ashwin and the rest of the bowlers in the morning session as Latham and Guptill put on 113 for the first wicket. The two showed great composure and looked at ease against both pace and spin. Except for a drop catch by Jadeja at short-midwicket off Latham, India hardly made life difficult for the Kiwis as boundaries kept coming.
“Our plan was very simple — not to give the runs, and the more boundaries we cut, the better it would be. We also thought this outfield is very quick, so the boundaries go very fast... That happened in the first session, and Latham and Guptill batted very well. We thought we’d try and reduce the run rate and try and create some pressure in terms of maiden overs. That was the plan. Obviously, that was a good spell I got after lunch, I got going and then things changed,” Ashwin said.
Once Latham’s leading edge settled into the hands of Ashwin, India sensed an opening. Post lunch, they cramped the Kiwis for room and they were immediately rewarded. Like it happened in Kanpur, Ashwin had Kane Williamson, with an off-spinner that pitched way outside off stump and came back sharply in. The Kiwi skipper tried to cut, only to inside edge it on to stumps. Ross Taylor followed soon to Ashwin caught at slip and in his next over he removed Guptill with a bit of luck. It wasn’t over yet as Ashwin now was in middle of an excellent spell. Luke Ronchi was the next one to go, once again caught in the slip as Ashwin ran through the top-order like he had been doing so in home conditions.
“It’s very important for me to get into a good rhythm. Thought this series I’ve not started in fine rhythm. I don’t know where the problem is but I’m trying to get my alignment right and it is taking me few overs. Once I go through it and when my body starts going completely into the ball, the spells start getting better. The spell after lunch was once such spell,” he said at the end of the day’s play.
Jeemy Neesham (71), who replaced Neil Wager for the third Test, then staged a lone battle as resisted the Indian bowerls. A clean hitter of the ball, Neesham used the sweep and lofted shots to good effect as he searched for partners in the other end. BJ Watling and Mitchell Santner provided him some support, but Ravindra Jadeja had other plans.
For New Zealand to avoid follow-on, all hopes were on Neesham to keep going but only to be given out LBW to Ashwin to a ball that pitched outside the leg. The tail provided little resistance as New Zealand eventually folded up for 294.