Mumbai Test: Gill's 90 helps India give 28-run lead to NZ in first inning (Day 02, Tea)

Shubman Gill's 90-run knock helped India to give a 28-run lead to New Zealand in the first inning at Tea on the second day of the third Test match at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. In the second session of the second day, New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel shined to bundle out India at 263 at the Wankhede Stadium as the hosts gave a 28-run lead to the visitors. At Tea on Day 2, New Zealand stood at 26/1 with Devon Conway (15*) and Will Young (8*) unbeaten on the crease. The visitors trail by just two runs runs.

The second session started with Ravindra Jadeja and Gill on the crease for India, hoping to cement a partnership. However, in the 47th over Glenn Phillips dismissed Jadeja for 14 runs from 25 balls. Gill and Jadeja could only make a 23-run stand. Minutes later in the 48th over, Sarfaraz Khan was removed from the crease for a four-ball duck by Ajaz Patel.

After losing two quick wickets in the second session, India failed to build on a partnership. Gill's knock came to an end in the 54th over when Ajaz Patel picked his wicket. The India youngster was unlucky as he failed to get his century just for 10 runs.

Ajaz displayed a stupendous performance as he dismissed Ravichandran Ashwin for six runs from 13 balls in the 58th over. Akash Deep's wicket was the final dismissal for India in their first inning. The India pacer was dismissed after a run-out from Rachin Ravindra and Tom Blundell.

Ajaz Patel led the New Zealand bowling attack in the first inning. The Kiwi spinner picked up five wickets and gave 103 runs. Matt Henry, Glenn Phillips and Ish Sodhi also picked one wicket each in their respective spells.

Skipper Tom Latham and Devon Conway opened for the Kiwis in their second inning hoping to give a solid target. However, Akash Deep shined in the first over and removed Latham for one run from four balls. Presently, Conway and Young will be looking to make a crucial partnership and give India a solid target.

Earlier in the second day of the Mumbai Test started with Gill and Rishabh Pant on the crease. The two Indians played attacking cricket even though the hosts already lost four wickets on the first day. The India wicketkeeper-batter smashed three fours in the opening over of the second day against Kiwi spinner Ajaz Patel.

In the 27th over, Gill was lucky as Mark Chapman failed to grab the ball on the long-on. With luck helping the two Indian batters Gill and Pant were saved a couple of times from losing their wicket. The duo of Gill-Pant cemented a partnership of 96 runs and helped India to make a comeback in the game.

In the 30th over, Gill slammed his seventh Test fifty after he sent the ball over the deep cover and took a single to complete his first fifty in the three-match Tests against the Kiwis. A few seconds later in the same over, Pant too completed his fifty in just 36 balls.

The partnership came to an end in the 38th over when Ish Sodhi removed Pant from the crease for 60 runs from 59 balls. It was a crucial wicket for the Kiwis as they dismissed the dangerous Pant. In the first session on Day 02 of the Mumbai Test, India scored 109 runs. While New Zealand could manage to take just one wicket.

Brief Score: New Zealand 235 & 26/1 (Daryl Mitchell 82, Will Young 71, Ravindra Jadeja 5/65) vs India 263 (Shubman Gill 90, Rishabh Pant 60, Ajaz Patel 5/90). (ANI)