Jadeja finished with figures of 5-73 off 34 overs
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
India pushed their lead over New Zealand to 215 runs after Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin took nine wickets between them on the third day of the first Test in Kanpur.
With the second day having been curtailed by heavy rain and with New Zealand in a good position at 152/1 at the start of play, the pressure was on India to halt the Black Caps’ charge.
Ashwin got the ball rolling for India almost immediately as he trapped Tom Latham lbw for 58, which came off 151 balls and included five boundaries.
Jadeja then proceeded to remove Ross Taylor for a duck before Ashwin secured his second wicket of the day when he clean bowled New Zealand captain Kane Williamson for 75, which came off 137 deliveries and included seven boundaries.
Jadeja and Ashwin continued to work in tandem as they sliced through New Zealand’s middle and lower order with relative ease. For the tourists, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner and wicketkeeper BJ Watling offered some resistance as they scored 38, 32 and 21 respectively.
Despite their efforts, though, New Zealand were bundled out for 262, which gave India a 56-run lead.
Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers with five wickets, while Ashwin snapped up four and Umesh Yadav chipped in with one.
With a 56-run lead in hand, India began their second innings on a high as Murali Vijay and Lokesh Rahul amassed a 52-run partnership before Rahul was dismissed by Ish Sodhi for 38.
India continued to keep their foot on the gas despite the loss of Rahul as Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara put together an unbeaten 107-run partnership, during which both batsmen brought up their half-centuries, before stumps was called.
Vijay scored his second fifty of the match
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Vijay ended up making 64 off 152 balls, which included seven boundaries and a six, while Pujara remained undefeated on 50 off 80 deliveries, which included eight boundaries.
Pujara struck eight boundaries during his unbeaten knock of 50
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Sodhi was the only bowler to take a wicket.
India ended day three on 159/1 and will continue batting on Sunday at 09:15 local time or 03:45 GMT.