Day 2 – The right approach: On a cold and gloomy day, India’s batsmen inspired confidence

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India first innings: 217 all out


11.02 pm: And that is stumps on Day 3 too. NZ trail by 116 runs and it is a day that they have dominated.

Bad light stops play just after Ross Taylor makes it to the middle.

NZ 101/2 after 48.4 overs
WICKET! Kohli switched Jadeja out of the attack and brought back Ishant. The change worked. Conway (54) hit that in the air and Shami took a good running catch. A big, big wicket. The light isn’t great and if India can get another wicket, they will be feeling very good about their chances.

NZ 101/1 after 48 overs
Two maidens in a row even as the dark clouds are rolling in overhead.

NZ 101/1 after 46 overs
Bumrah desperately trying to find a better rhythm. Just hasn’t looked as dangerous as he usually does. A session in which he will be learning a lot too.

NZ 99/1 after 44 overs
Conway gets to a superb fifty off 137 balls. He is currently making Test cricket look easy. What a start to his career! And it is time for a drink’s break too. NZ have ever so slightly upped the scoring rate in the last few overs.

Jadeja into the attack now.

NZ 90/1 after 42 overs
Bumrah into the attack and he has been taken for a few runs today – as compared to the others. 8-1-30-0. Williamson still finding his feet in the middle.

NZ 80/1 after 40 overs
40 overs gone, a run-rate of 2. It has been slow going. Engrossing but slow. India only made 217 and in reply NZ have crawled to 80. But there is plenty of time left in the match.

NZ 72/1 after 38 overs
One can’t help but feel that NZ need to think about scoring runs too. Cricket, at the end of the day is about scoring runs. Ashwin isn’t getting a lot of turn but they haven’t tried to even get 2-3 runs every over against him.

NZ 71/1 after 36 overs
Williamson in the middle and this a battle that India would love to win quickly. The NZ skipper hasn’t been in the best of form in recent times and he missed the last NZ match against Eng due to an elbow injury.

NZ 70/1 after 34.2 overs
WICKET! Ashwin gets India the breakthrough. Latham walking back after making 30. He drove uppishly and Kohli took a fine catch at short cover. India needed this. The match needed this. Williamson is in next.

NZ 70/0 after 34 overs
Time for a drinks break. A battle of attrition really.

NZ 69/0 after 33 overs
The runs started to flow just a little. But India won’t mind that. It may also bring a few wickets and help the game move forward. Conway is on 38 and Latham in on 29. No one is talking about the strike-rate.

NZ 57/0 after 30 overs
Nothing much happening in the middle. We are just waiting for something to give. India desperately need a breakthrough here.

NZ 57/0 after 28 overs
Three runs in the Ishant over, some disconcerting bounce but no wickets.

NZ 54/0 after 27 overs
India’s openers got a fifty-run stand to start off and the NZ openers have followed suit. This is exactly what the Kiwis would have wanted. Both Latham and Conway have 25 each in the 50-run stand.

NZ 44/0 after 26 overs
Very steady, very slow. NZ look content to continue the way they are going for a while more. Should India try something different?

NZ 43/0 after 24 overs
NZ continue to take a very conservative approach. Two maiden overs in a row. They need to at least try and go after Ashwin.

NZ 43/0 after 22 overs
Ishant to start the session and he will be armed with the knowledge of what he should try now. He stays over the wicket now.

Players are back on the field after tea. Can India find a few wickets in the session?

NZ 36/0 after 21 overs
Maiden over for Bumrah and that is the end of the session. The NZ openers kept the Indian bowlers at bay. No wickets lost. India’s pacers haven’t got as much movement as the NZ bowlers did earlier in the day and this will be a chance to reassess their plans.

Just three over for Ashwin. Bumrah back into the attack.

NZ 36/0 after 20 overs
Shami troubling the batsmen. Another delivery took off and hit Latham’s bat high. It just cleared Rahane at gully. India will want a wicket soon after. This partnership is starting to grow to a size that will worry Kohli a little.

NZ 28/0 after 18 overs
Four runs in the Shami over. NZ openers are staying focussed on the task at hand but since they haven’t scored too quickly, India are still very much in this.

NZ 24/0 after 17 overs
Another maiden over by Ashwin. He isn’t getting any turn but so far the NZ batsmen are holding back against him.

NZ 24/0 after 16 overs
A couple of runs but Shami continues to trouble the openers. NZ hanging in there, looking to weather the storm.

NZ 22/0 after 15 overs
Ashwin starts off with a maiden over. Not too much spin but he was giving it good flight.

NZ 22/0 after 14 overs
Shami causing some problems for the Kiwi openers. He is getting the odd one to bounce on the batsmen. Did one to Latham a little earlier and now one to Conway. Ashwin warming up too.

NZ 20/0 after 13 overs
A single in the over but India are giving nothing over. Kohli is playing just three seamers though and it will be interesting to see how that impacts play. NZ had five seamers in the line-up.

NZ 19/0 after 12 overs
Shami with another maiden over. India are tightening the screws.

NZ 19/0 after 11 overs
Maiden over by Ishant. Another good one but India still searching for the first wicket. Things can change quickly in these conditions.

Shortest rain break ever. It lasted around 6-7 minutes and we have lost one over from the day’s play.

And the players are going off now. The NZ openers were reluctant to go off the field but the umpires felt the pitch was getting wet. It should not be a long break though.

NZ 19/0 after 10 overs
Shami into the attack and it is starting to rain in the middle. Good over by the pacer. Beat the bat a couple of times and his line was very good. The players are staying in the middle though.

Shami into the attack now.

NZ 17/0 after 9 overs
India will be forced to make a change soon and it will be interesting to see what kind of impact spinners have on the track.

NZ 16/0 after 8 overs
If the Indian openers were good, then the NZ openers haven’t taken a backward step either. They have left the ball well and done what needs to be done in these conditions.

NZ 12/0 after 7 overs
Ishant delivers a maiden over. India need to stay patient here.

NZ 12/0 after 6 overs
No maiden overs in the innings yet. India are working hard but no clear chances for them yet. A very steady start.

NZ 11/0 after 5 overs
Conway edges one wide off the slips to get his first four of the innings. Kohli and Ishant shouldn’t mind that.

NZ 7/0 after 4 overs
Slightly overpitched by Bumrah and Latham leant into it and drove it through the covers. Lovely shot and one that will give Latham a lot of confidence.

NZ 3/0 after 3 overs
Superb bowling by Ishant. Forcing Latham to play at the ball and then making the odd one go away and beat the bat.

NZ 2/0 after 2 overs
Bumrah from the other end. India must look to do what NZ did – keep a tight line and just bowl it in the right spot.

NZ 1/0 after 1 over
Ishant with the new ball and Latham gets a single to get off the mark. The Indian pacer is coming around the wicket to angle the ball into the left-hander.

The NZ openers are out already and so are the Indian team. Do Kohli and Co have a competitive total on board? Tom Latham and Devon Conway are in the middle.

India FoW

The innings started pretty well but NZ settled down thanks to Jamieson and de Grandhomme and then they never looked back.

62-1 (20.1), 63-2 (24.3), 88-3 (40.2), 149-4 (67.4), 156-5 (73.4), 182-6 (78.4), 205-7 (85.5), 213-8 (91.4), 213-9 (91.5), 217-10 (92.1).

Ind 217 all out after 92.1 overs
Wicket! Jadeja edges that down the leg-side. It has been all NZ today. Boult gets the final wicket but the star of the show was Jamieson, who finished with 5/31. Over to India’s bowlers now.

Andy Zaltzman on TMS: “It’s Jamieson’s fifth five-wicket haul in just eight Tests. All but one of them have come in the first innings.”

No hat-trick for Jamieson as Shami drives the ball through the covers for a four.

Ind 213/8 after 91.5 overs
Wicket! Another five-wicket haul for Jamieson. Bumrah gone for a duck. It was very full and it swung into the right-hander. Brilliant bowling.

Ind 213/8 after 91.4 overs
Wicket! Ross Taylor takes an easy catch in the slips to send back Ishant Sharma. He could have left this ball along but because he was walking across the stumps, he played at it. And that was that. Another wicket for Jamieson, who now has 4/27.

Ind 213/7 after 91 overs
Ishant is walking across the stumps almost in a bid to counter the swing. It has worked for him so far but the Kiwis might start targeting his leg-stump instead.

Ind 212/7 after 90 overs
A single for Ishant to start things off after the break. He didn’t know much about it but every run counts. The focus will be on Jadeja to see what his approach will be.

And we are all set for the second session to begin. The sun is out. Can India make it to 250?

Ind 211/7 after 89 overs
And that is lunch. The session belongs to NZ – 65 runs, 4 wickets in 24.2 overs in the session. The Kiwis were on target but India have managed to take their total past 200 and that is a good things. Jadeja will need to do most of the run scoring in the next session. Jamieson was brilliant again – 20-12-26-3.

Ind 206/7 after 87 overs
DROPPED! Southee fails to hold on to a chance in the slips and Jadeja, on 11, gets a life. Boult isn’t too pleased. A rare drop by NZ’s standards.

Ind 205/7 after 85.5 overs
WICKET! Southee picks up his first wicket. The away swinger does the trick and Ashwin edges one to Latham at second slip. Fine knock by Ashwin (22 off 27), got the runs but the ball was not there for the drive.

Ind 199/6 after 85 overs
Steady stuff from Ashwin (16) and Jadeja (11). Both can bat very well and NZ must be careful not to take their eye off the ball. India this morning have been 53 runs for 3 wickets so far.

Ind 198/6 after 84 overs
Ashwin living a little dangerously but it is better than aimlessly hanging around. Went for the big drive against Southee, got the edge but it luckily went over third slip.

Ind 186/6 after 83 overs
Boult didn’t get his line right, strayed onto the pads and Ashwin helped himself to eight runs in the over, including a lovely flick for four. The dhols are making themselves heard again.

Sunil Gavaskar, former India captain, on Rahane’s dismissal: “He will be very, very upset with himself there. It looked like he was just trying to control the ball and not actually hit it.”

Boult replacing Wagner in the attack now.

Ind 182/6 after 82 overs
NZ have now taken the second new ball. Still no runs after the last wicket.

Ind 182/6 after 81 overs
Another maiden over by Wagner. No runs have been scored after the fall of the wicket. Brilliant by NZ – keeping the pressure on.

Ind 182/6 after 80 overs
Southee into the attack and he starts off with a maiden over. The new ball is now available if NZ want it.

Ind 182/6 after 78.4 overs
WICKET! Three men on the leg-side, two men in the deep and Wagner with the ball. But Rahane went for the pull, ended up playing a half-pull and hit it straight to Latham at square leg. He fell in the trap and he knew it. Big wicket for NZ. But Rahane (49) is disconsolate in the middle. He can’t believe what he has done.

Ind 180/5 after 78 overs
De Grandhomme into the attack and the Indians take him for nine runs. A four off the first ball (which was down the leg-side) and then a drive down the ground by Jadeja off the last ball. The over releases a lot of pressure on the two batsmen in the middle. Southee hasn’t bowled all morning.

Ind 171/5 after 77 overs
The first hour of play is done and time for a drink’s break. NZ have done very well – they have been disciplined and got two big wickets too. Just what they would have wanted. Soon, the new ball will be available and that will be another big challenge for the Indian batsmen. Rahane has been solid and Jadeja is still working his way into his innings.

Ind 166/5 after 76 overs
Jamieson with a rare loose delivery and Rahane leaned into it and hit a delightful shot through the covers to move onto 37.

Ind 161/5 after 75 overs
Rahane (34) and Jadeja (4) have a tough task on their hands. The new ball will soon be available and Southee might want to have a go at them then.

Ind 156/5 after 73.4 overs
WICKET! Pant (4) got off the mark with a four and then Jamieson bowled one wide and the left-hander couldn’t resist the temptation. He threw his hands at it, got an edge and Tom Latham in the slips took a fine catch. Jamieson now has bowling figures of 18.4-12-21-3. Brilliant.

Ind 150/4 after 73 overs
Another maiden over, this time by Wagner. NZ have made a very good start today – India having to work very hard for their runs and this is pressure of another kind. the ball is 73 overs old but it is still moving around and the new ball will soon be due.

Wagner into the attack now. He replaces Boult, another left-armer, but he is a very different bowler.

Ind 150/4 after 72 overs
Another maiden over by Jamieson. The man has given absolutely nothing away. He currently has bowling figures of 18-12-15-2

Ind 150/4 after 71 overs
Boult enjoying bowling to Pant and beating the left-hander a few times too. Quite a challenge for Pant too... should he play his natural game or be more circumspect?

Ind 149/4 after 70 overs
Jamieson with another maiden over. He has given little away. Off the last ball of the over, NZ decided to review an LBW decision against Pant. Jamieson hit Pant on the pads but the impact was umpire’s call. Close call.

Ind 149/4 after 69 overs
NZ’s coach wanted more from his bowlers and he is getting it this morning. Boult is switched on – inswing, outswing, ball going on with the natural angle, the short ball. It is a wonderful mix.

Rishabh Pant in the middle and that generally means we are in for an exciting period of play.

Ind 149/4 after 67.4 overs
WICKET! So far in the innings, only six balls bowled by Jamieson would have gone on to hit the stumps and the Indian batsmen had been leaving him on length. But this time, the tall seamer pitched it up, for only the seventh time, in the match and struck gold. Kohli (44) was trapped LBW and the review didn’t help. Red all the way.

Ind 149/3 after 67 overs
Steady over by Boult, got one to go past Rahane’s outside edge but that is expected in these conditions.

Ind 147/3 after 66 overs
Jamieson from the other end. He was NZ’s best bowler on Day 2 and he has an important role to play today as well.

Ind 146/3 after 65 overs
Boult had two balls left in the over and Kohli dealt with them comfortably. Big first hour coming up for both teams.

The players are out in the middle for the start of Day 3. Here we go. NZ will want early wickets. India will want to build on their partnerships and get closer to 300 if possible. It is pretty dark and light might come into play at some point. The conditions are once again superb for bowling.

Update: Play on Day 3 to start at 11 AM local (3.30 PM IST).

Session 1 - 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Session 2 - 6:10 pm - 8:25 pm
Session 3 - 8:45 pm - 11:00 pm

Day 1

On a tough day for batting, India’s batsmen did indeed put their best foot forward, writes Ashish Magotra.

The right approach: On a cold and gloomy day, India’s batsmen inspired confidence

Hello and welcome to live coverage of day three of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and England in Southampton.