BENGALURU: There were two ways to read this match as both teams retreated to the comforts of their respective dressing rooms at the end of an exhilarating Day Three. If you are a person who favours low-yield unsexy bonds, you would be tipping New Zealand to win its first Test on Indian soil since 1988. If you frequently put your money in high-risk, high-reward hedge funds, you would be willing for the Indian team to pull off what would possibly be one of the greatest Test wins of all time.
At stumps on Friday, India had rocketed along to 231/3 in just 49 overs. They still trail the visitors by 125 runs but make no mistake; there are still lots of runs to be had on what will essentially be a third day wicket when play resumes on Saturday morning (the weather is suggestive of some overhead conditions but there may not be rain).
However, it could have been oh-so better for the hosts because they were 231/2 after 48.5 overs. Virat Kohli, whose gorgeous lofted off-drive for six off Ajaz Patel will adorn many a highlights package going forward, was batting like he had a point to prove. He had even ignored two significant milestones. After he reached a 50, the sizable M Chinnaswamy crowd were on their feet, creating a racket. The 35-year-old, after completing the single, ignored those cheers before half-heartedly raising his bat half-way.
Three runs later, when he completed 9000 Test runs, there was zero acknowledgement of the milestone. It was time to go big, make a daddy hundred. By then, the No. 3, who has had an iffy Test career since 2020 (avg of 33.61 with two 100s across 32 matches), had already hit one of the shots of the day; a magisterial cover-drive. It was so pure it would have turned all remaining Kohli agnostics into believers. But he was dismissed off the last ball, snicking one-off Glenn Phillips to Tom Blundell. Just before the bell, below the belt.
If Kohli was operating somewhere near the zone, at the other end, Sarfaraz Khan was in the zone. After going for nought in the first innings, his place was very much on the line. 24 hours later, he was in a hedonistic mood so he turned a pressure-cooker of a situation into a video game.
There was one ramp for four when he was already arching back, body in all kinds of trouble. There was an upper cut for six. There were back-to-back sixes off Ajaz Patel on the leg side. With less than 20 minutes to go for the close of play, he exposed his stumps, and got the desired room to free his arms before lofting one Glenn Phillips delivery over Daryl Mitchell's outstretched arms at cover.
When he came in at 95/2, there was a certain tension to proceedings. An hour later, Sarfaraz had diffused some of that like an expert bomb disposal squad. He bats with a lot of nervous energy but the one good thing is his conviction in his methods. When he marries it with execution, there's a certain magic. While his work is only half done at best - from an Indian perspective - his innings (70 off 78, 7x4, 3x6) were responsible for another day when batting records were threatened; the 453 runs in a single day was the second highest ever in a day's play across all Tests in India.
Before Sarfaraz, Kohli and the openers had their moment, questions ought to be asked about some of the decisions in the morning session. Rohit Sharma had fronted up to his mistake vis-a-vis misreading the pitch. The decision to not bring back Jasprit Bumrah for a short spell, in hindsight, seems to be a bad one. The spinners had provided the oomph and Bumrah could have closed it out. By the time he had come back to bowl his 16th over, Matt Henry had been dismissed and Southee and Ravindra had pillaged their way to the second fastest century partnership against India in Tests.
At one point of time, the heads had dropped, the shoulders had drooped and indiscipline was rife. When you see four overthrows, it's generally a barometer of the prevailing mood. Sharma apologised for the misdemeanour but they needed a pick-me-up and needed it fast.
Mohammed Siraj provided one with a slower ball. The last few wickets followed soon after. When both sides walked back at 1.10 PM, it had seemed like all hope was dead. Hope, though, springs eternal. Sarfaraz and KL Rahul (likely unless the team management decides to play poker) will walk out with more than a wing and a prayer. They and the others have the chance to turn water into wine.
Should they do it, Saturday will be etched in the sands of time.