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The first Test match between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru witnessed a thrilling day three, as the hosts staged a strong comeback after a disastrous first innings. India, who were bowled out for a paltry 46 in their first innings, managed to reach 231-3 at the end of the day, still trailing by 125 runs but significantly closing the gap against the Black Caps. The resurgence was spearheaded by a crucial partnership between Sarfaraz Khan and Virat Kohli, who shared a 136-run stand for the third wicket.
Sarfaraz Khan, unbeaten on 70 at the close of play, displayed remarkable resilience and temperament throughout the day. He partnered with Kohli, who eventually fell for 70 with the final ball of the day, to stabilize the Indian innings and provide a much-needed foundation. Earlier, the Indian openers Rohit Sharma (52) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (35) had made promising starts but were dismissed in quick succession by Ajaz Patel, who was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers.
The day, however, belonged to the Black Caps' Rachin Ravindra, who continued his impressive form from the previous day with a magnificent century. He ended up scoring a career-best 134, adding 137 runs for the eighth wicket with Tim Southee (65), who himself played a lively knock. Ravindra's innings provided the foundation for New Zealand's mammoth first innings total of 402, giving them a massive lead of 356 runs going into the second innings. The match continues to be fiercely contested, with both teams showcasing their strengths and weaknesses in equal measure. India, despite a challenging start, has shown remarkable resilience and will be looking to build on their momentum in the remaining days of the match.
Source: India v New Zealand: Hosts fight back on day three in Bengaluru