Third test: India gains upper hand over New Zealand 

MUMBAI: In a battle between survival and hunt, it was India who ended with an upper hand over New Zealand on Day 2 of the third Test at the Wankhede Stadium. At the end of Day 2, New Zealand posted 171/9, leading by 143 runs with Ajaz Patel unbeaten on seven (14). Rohit Sharma and his team will have to really work hard even to reach the smallest of the targets on the sharp turning pitch in Mumbai. India had secured a lead of 28 runs in the first innings.

Score New Zealand 235 and 171-9, India 263

India, who dismissed New Zealand for 235 runs in the first innings, managed to score 263 runs in reply. It was the half-centuries from Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) that helped India go past the first-innings score of the visitors. The 96-run partnership between Gill and Pant helped India reach a strong position at 180/4. However, after their dismissal, none of the subsequent batsmen, except Sundar (38*), made significant contributions. For New Zealand, Ajaz Patel took five wickets, while Matt Henry, Glenn Phillips, and Ish Sodhi claimed one wicket each.

In their second innings, New Zealand's batting faltered, with Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin sharing 7 wickets. Will Young's 51 was the sole notable contribution, as the visitors' captain Tom Latham and others failed to impress.