Indian spinners' dominance set the match on for hosts

After Indian batters provided a little lead at the end of the first innings battles, Indian spinners put the hosts in a winnable position at the end of the second day of the Wankhede Test. 

In reply to New Zealand’s first innings total of 235 runs, India started the second day with a struggling score of 86/4. The hosts dominated the first session of the second day which set up a great comeback for India.

Gill and Pant guided the hosts strongly

Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant set up a 96-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Gill completed his half-century in 66 balls, while Pant reached the 50-run mark in 36 balls. 

Before Ish Sodhi trapped Pant for a lbw, the left-handed wicketkeeper-batter scored 60 runs off 59 balls with the help of eight fours and two sixes. 

At lunch, India scored 195/5 as Gill and Jadeja were batting. 

In the fourth over of the second session, Gleen Phillips took the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja (14), while Sarfaraz Khan was the third victim of Ajaz Patel as the new Indian batter failed to open his account. 

Washington Sundar scored some valuable runs

Washington Sundar provided good support to Gill, who scored 90 off 146 balls (seven fours and one six) before Patel dismissed him when the hosts were trailing by eight runs. 

Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin had a 20-run partnership for the ninth wicket which opened up India’s lead. Sundar ultimately remained not out on 38 runs off 36 balls (four fours and two sixes) as India scored 263 runs with a lead of 28 runs. 

Ajaz Patel secured his sixth fifer in a Test innings as the left-arm spinner had bowling figures of 21.4-3-103-5.

Indian spinners shared eight wickets

New Zealand captain Tom Latham (1) was bowled in the first over as Akash Deep impressively set up his dismissal. 

In the last session of the day, Indian spinners took eight wickets as they hardly allowed the visitors to set up a strong partnership. Devon Conway and Will Young's partnership for the second wicket (37 runs) was the second-highest partnership for the innings while Will Young had a 51-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell for the fourth wicket. 

While Conway was out for 22 runs, Young scored 51 runs. Daryl Mitchell (21), Glenn Phillips (26), and Matt Henry were the other to manage the double-digit scores. Ajaz Patel was not out for seven runs. 

Ravindra Jadeja took four wickets (4/52), while Ravichandran Ashwin got three wickets (3/63). Washington Sundar (1/30) and Akash Deep (1/10) picked up one wicket each. 

India never lost a home Test match while chasing 200 or lesser runs

At the stumps on day two, New Zealand managed a lead of 143 runs. While India have a good chance to set up their fourth innings target of less than 150 runs, India have never suffered a home Test defeat in their fourth innings chase of 200 or fewer runs. In this list, the hosts India have a record of three draws and 31 wins. 

However, this Test series has already produced some results that we hardly thought of before.