New Zealand’s Trent Boult declared himself “happy to be back” as he bagged three wickets to leave India struggling for survival at stumps on day three of the first Test in Wellington yesterday.
India, faced with a 183-run first-innings deficit, were 144 for four at the close, still 39 in arrears after a rollicking innings by Boult and Kyle Jamieson pushed New Zealand to 348.
Ajinkya Rahane was unbeaten on 25 with Hanuma Vihari on 15, and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said that India were far from raising the white flag, although with only six wickets remaining, he saw a score of aboout 350 as necessary to save the Test.
Photo: Reuters
Boult, back in Test cricket after breaking a hand during a Boxing Day Test in Australia, took a back seat in India’s first innings when Jamieson and Tim Southee took four wickets apiece to roll the tourists for 165.
However, he came to the fore on day three, first with the bat and then with figures of three for 27 as India, the world’s top-ranked side, looked lost in New Zealand conditions.
“I’m just happy to be back out there, it’s been a little frustrating on the sidelines,” the left-armer said. “If we can get a couple more early in the first hour [today] or so, we should be in a good position.”
Boult credited changing the angle of delivery as a key weapon to upset the Indian batsmen.
“We know it’s a very good wicket generally and day three and four is the best time to bat. If I do my job, we won’t be chasing too much,” he said.
Ashwin said he believed the pitch would give more in the final two days, bringing an emphasis on his spin if India can set a strong enough target.
“The Test match cricket, it begins now,” he said.
“If you can get as close to the first innings score as they did, then we might present ourselves an opportunity to do something, but that’s very far away in the game and we have to take it every ball at a time because there is enough in the surface,” Ashwin said.
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