Mumbai (India): Veteran spinner Ravindra Jadeja overtook iconic pace duo Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma to become India’s fifth highest wicket-taker in the Test format.

On a turbulent opening day of the third Test against New Zealand, where momentum swung like a pendulum, Jadeja’s class was a constant theme.

With a five-star performance, Jadeja took a five-wicket haul while giving away 65 runs in his 22-over game and keeping his economy at 3.00.

After his influential period that left New Zealand clueless, Jadeja overtook Zaheer and Ishant in the list of India’s leading wicket-takers in Test cricket.

After his heroics in Wankhede, Jadeja has 314 scalps to his name in the longest format of cricket. Going into the third Test, Zaheer and Ishant were ahead of him with 311 wickets each taken during their memorable careers.

India’s excellent spinner Anil Kumble still holds the record for India’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket with an impressive tally of 619 scalps.

Just as Ishant and Zaheer dictated the flow of the game, Jadeja’s effort was the point at which the momentum shifted in India’s favour.

While Will Young and Daryl Mitchell went from strength to strength in the second session, India lost their minds with every overtake.

But it was Jadeja in the 45th over where India were rewarded for the patience they had shown throughout the grueling 87-run partnership.

On the second ball of the over, New Zealand’s resistance finally gave way as Jadeja turned the ball away from Young, forcing a healthy lead. India captain Rohit Sharma made no mistake at slip, putting an end to Young’s solid 71.

The cloud of dust that rose whenever the ball landed on the field was a sign that things were beginning to change. Two balls later, Tom Blundell found himself clueless in front of a ripper from Jadeja.

A flat trajectory and a cloud of dust as the ball landed was enough to leave Blundell confused and hitting the off-stump with a remarkable turn.

Jadeja continued to haunt New Zealand by playing with the expectations of dealing with the turning deliveries.

Glenn Phillips leaned forward to defend the throw, but the ball continued to slip quickly. Although Phillips moved forward to prevent the danger, the ball found enough space to slip past and crash into the stumps.

He then defeated Ish Sodhi and Matt Henry by pinning them in front of the stumps to end his memorable outing with the ball.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.