Ind vs NZ: Rishabh Pant's half century keeps India in the hunt as New Zealand runs through top order

Wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant on Sunday scored an unbeaten 53 as he saw India to 92-6 at lunch on Day 3 in their chase of 147 in Mumbai.

The Test match is perfectly balanced, with India needing 55 more runs and New Zealand four wickets as the game to register a 3-0 clean sweep.

Pant and fellow left-hander Washington Sundar, on six, were batting at the break.



India bowled out New Zealand quickly for 174 in the first session, with Ravindra Jadeja taking five wickets on a turning wicket.

But the New Zealand bowlers, led by Ajaz Patel, ran through India's top order. India were reduced to 29/5 as none of the batters could even get a start.

Pant put on 42 runs for the sixth wicket to revive the chase, but Ajaz struck again to remove Ravindra Jadeja for six.

New Zealand's second innings was over seven minutes after the start of Sunday's play.

Resuming on 171, Ajaz was caught at deep mid-wicket off a slog sweep as left-arm spinner Jadeja ended with a match haul of 10 wickets.


On Day 2, Spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar shared eight wickets between them, triggering a New Zealand second innings collapse to hand India the advantage on the second day of the third and final Test in Mumbai on Saturday.

The Kiwis lost as many as eight wickets in the final session as they were reduced to 171 for 9 in their second innings with a lead of 143 runs at the close of play.

For India, Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) were instrumental to gain a crucial lead on a deteriorating pitch. Washington fought a lone battle among the three all-rounders, scoring a brisk 38 not out off 36 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes.

Ajaz Patel , finding his length, continued his success at the Wankhede Stadium, following up his world record 10/119 in the first innings of the 2021 Test here with another five-wicket haul.