Bengaluru, October 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) A superb 134 from Rachin Ravindra – his second Test century – helped New Zealand to a 356-run lead against India after they ended their first innings with 402 in 91.3 overs. For India, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav picked up three wickets each and it is now up to their batters to save the hosts from a possible innings defeat.

Ravindra excelled with 13 fours and four sixes in his 157-ball knock to score his second international hundred in Bengaluru, the city where his family hails from. He also added a crucial 137 runs for the eighth wicket with Tim Southee, who hit 65 off 73 balls. It is now the highest eighth wicket partnership for New Zealand in Tests against India.

Ravindra picked up from 180/3 and overcame the initial defeat as New Zealand lost four wickets to demonstrate his exceptional handling of Indian spinners by picking lengths early to play shots on the front foot, back foot and ground and make good use of the depth of the fold.

Ravindra, who trained at the Super Kings academy in Chennai under their coach Sriram Krishnamurthy ahead of their tour of the subcontinent, started with a fine shot from Mohammed Siraj, who took India’s first wicket of the session by hitting Daryl Mitchell straight let to the storm drain.

Tom Blundell never looked confident at the goal-line and slipped past Jasprit Bumrah for the second time. Glenn Phillips hit a four and a six off Kuldeep Yadav before missing a direct throw from Jadeja, who dismissed Matt Henry in the same manner. After India fought back in the game, Ravindra made his 50 in 88 balls by dismissing Kuldeep in four balls.

From there, he and Southee produced one attacking shot after another to put India on the back foot. Whenever Jadeja gave space, Ravindra was quick to pounce on it and set boundaries. He finally reached his century in just 124 balls with a four-over win over Ashwin, with a big smile and a hug from Southee being the way of celebration as he reached the three-figure mark.

Southee then surpassed Sehwag’s tally of sixes in Test cricket by hitting Siraj over back-square-leg for a six after bowling Ashwin for a maximum of 20 runs in an 80th over, giving New Zealand another brilliant session His favor finished with 58 runs from the last four overs.

The second session began with Southee picking up his fifty with a single from Bumrah and he subsequently bowled Siraj for successive boundaries. After sending Siraj six times over mid-wicket, Southee attempted another maximum but was deceived by a change of pace and took a simple catch to cover, ending his 137-run stand with Ravindra for the eighth wicket.

Ravindra managed to overturn his dismissal of Siraj when UltraEdge showed a spike on the ball that passed the bat and followed with a sickening slog sweep to Kuldeep that trapped Ajaz Patel lbw. Ravindra hit Siraj in two consecutive boundaries before dancing around the pitch and hitting a six for Kuldeep.

But Kuldeep immediately had the last laugh when Ravindra got the upper hand on a long ball throw and was intercepted by substitute goalkeeper Dhruv Jurel, leaving him on 134 and heading out to a rousing one from the Bengaluru crowd and the New Zealand dressing room prepared reception.

Brief scores: India are 356 runs behind New Zealand’s 402 in 91.3 overs with 46 in 31.2 overs (Rachin Ravindra 134, Devon Conway 91; Ravindra Jadeja 3-72, Kuldeep Yadav 3-99).

Source: IANS

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