India vs NZ, Kanpur Test: Bad Light, NZ's Fightback Help Force a Draw
NZ's last pair of Ajaz Patel and Rachin Ravindra hung on for 52 deliveries.
advertisement
The Kanpur Test went down to the wire with the last half hour needing India to pick one wicket for a win or New Zealand's last batting pair needing to defy the bowlers and force a draw.
Eventually, the required number of overs were bowled and even though there was time left for play, umpire Nitin Menon stopped play due to bat light and the teams decided to finish the match in a draw.
After picking no wickets in the first session of play on Day 5 in Kanpur, the Indian bowlers stepped up after Tea and picked 5 wickets with Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson, Tom Blundell, Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee being sent back to the dressing room.
It was down to Ajaz Patel and Rachin Ravindra to save the test and the pair batted out 52 deliveries to ensure a draw.
India celebrating the wicket of Kane Williamson on Day 5 of the Kanpur Test.
(Photo: BCCI)
Axar Patel picked the first of the wickets post Tea, trapping Nicholls lbw on the fifth delivery of the session.
At the fall of his wicket, New Zealand's score read 126/5 with skipper Kane Williamson then being joined by wicket-keeper Tom Blundell at the crease. With the visitors then still needing to bat out about 30 overs in the day, it seemed like either result was possible but that was before Ravindra Jadeja got the big wicket of the day - Kane Williamson out lbw on 24.
10 overs later, R Ashwin made another breakthrough, sending back Blundell on 2 as the Kiwis were reduced to 138/7.
The standoff between the two sides continued for another 7 overs before Ravdindra Jadeja picked two wickets within five overs to send back Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee.
Axar Patel celebrates the wicket of Henry Nicholls during Day 5 of the Kanpur Test.
(Photo: BCCI)
3 Wickets in Second Session
Earlier, India picked up three crucial wickets, including one each on the first and last balls of the second session for New Zealand to go to Tea at 125/4 in 63.1 overs.
After not getting a wicket in the enter first session, India got one on the very first ball post-lunch as nightwatchman William Somerville tried to pull a short ball from Umesh Yadav, but it flew to Shubman Gill, who came running in from fine-leg and completed a superb forward diving catch.
Shubman Gill celebrates the catch of William Somerville on Day 5 of the Kanpur Test.
(Photo: BCCI)
Yadav continued to trouble Latham and Kane Williamson, getting a lot of deliveries to keep low and targeted towards the stumps. But the duo continued to put up a defiant show while hitting the occasional boundary. Latham brought up his second half-century of the match with three runs through mid-wicket.
But four overs later, Latham, in a bid to punch through the off-side, chopped on to his stumps off Ashwin. The dismissal also meant that Ashwin went past Harbhajan'Singh's 417 wickets to become the third-highest wicket-taker for India (13th overall) in Test cricket.
Ross Taylor was nearly stumped on zero off Ashwin as there was no conclusive evidence to rule him out. His anxious stay at the crease ended on the stroke of tea as Jadeja trapped him plumb in front of the wicket.
Tom Latham and Will Somerville during day five of the Kanpur Test.
(Photo: BCCI)
No Wickets in First Session
Earlier today, Tom Latham and William Somerville started the day well, without taking any needless risk. They were rigid in defence, though Ravichandran Ashwin troubled them often while plucking boundaries against the pace of Umesh Yadav.
Latham was the first to take a boundary off Yadav, glancing through fine leg while Somerville struck a straight drive. Somerville then crunched delightful back-foot drives on consecutive deliveries off Yadav through off-side and was lucky in getting a boundary off the outer edge of Ishant Sharma.
India seemed to be a bit frustrated over not getting their first wicket of the day. Such was the desperation to get a wicket that they took a review for a Latham lbw despite the impact outside the off-stump, thereby wasting a review.
As the stand for the second wicket crossed the half-century mark, the duo resorted to strike rotation against the left-arm spin of Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja. Though Ashwin beat the outer edge and got some turn in the last few overs before lunch, India will be hoping to get a breakthrough in the second session to push New Zealand on back foot in a tall chase.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)