On a deteriorating pitch that provided sharp turn and inconsistent bounce, the spinners maintained their dominance with another fruitful day. After New Zealand had limited India to 263 in their first innings, holding a narrow 28-run lead despite contrasting half-centuries from Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60), the hosts made a strong comeback with the help of Ashwin and Jadeja.
Gill scored a steady 90, while Pant blasted a quick-fire 60 off 60 balls, setting India up for a substantial lead. However, New Zealand bowlers kept striking at regular intervals, and India collapsed from 180/4 before lunch to 263 all out in 59.4 overs, securing just a 28-run lead. Washington Sundar contributed an unbeaten 38 off 36 balls, but India’s innings, which looked promising, crumbled as they lost six wickets for 83 runs.
