World number one India suffered a seven-wicket defeat in less than three days as New Zealand completed a memorable series sweep in the second Test at Christchurch on Monday. Catch highlights here:
Before the start of India's tour of New Zealand 2020, Kiwi legend Craig McMillan had said that the hosts will have to win in two out of three formats to be eligible for at least the "pass marks". Well, New Zealand have come out with flying colours. Catch highlights here:
Report | Cricket News
8:30 AM IST: India were all out for 124 in their second innings to leave New Zealand with a chase of 132 for a 2-0 whitewash. The hosts completed the job with openers Tom Latham (52) and Tom Blundell (55) doing the bulk of the scoring.
Jasprit Bumrah picked up two wickets and Umesh Yadav one after the Kiwi openers had put on a solid 103-run stand.
Earlier, resuming the third day on 90 for six, India lost overnight batsmen Hanuma Vihari (9) and Rishabh Pant (4) early and the tail also could not survive for long.
For the hosts, lead pacer Trent Boult finished with impressive figures of 4/28 and his new ball partner Tim Southee was equally good, taking three wickets for 36 runs at the Hagley Oval.
India had scored 242 in their first innings and New Zealand were all out for 235 to give the visitors a slender seven-run lead.
The visitors had lost the first Test by 10 wickets.
Brief Scores
India: First Innings - 242, Second Innings - 124 (Cheteshwar Pujara 24; Trent Boult 4/28, Tim Southee 3/36)
New Zealand: First Innings - 235, Second Innings - 132 in 3 in 36 overs (Tom Latham 52, Tom Blundell 55).
Man of the match: Kyle Jamieson
Man of the series: Tim Southee
8:26 AM IST: The tortured tour comes to an end. In a way, it's a relief for India. They won the T20Is 5-0, then lost the next five matches -- three ODIs and two Tests. For, the Kiwis, this was their sixth consecutive series win at home.
Nothing worked for India in the Test series. Two one-sided matches, all finishing in quick time. Except for Ravindra Jadeja's fielding, there was nothing worth writing about.
New Zealand 2nd Innings & 235; India 124 & 242
8:18 AM IST: Seven-wicket win for the hosts. Henry Nicholls hits the winning runs, a single off the last ball of the 36th over, bowled by Ravindra Jadeja. A humbling experience for top-ranked India. And with that, the Kiwis whitewash Virat Kohli & Co. NZ - 132/3.
8:11 AM IST: Virat Kohli introduces himself, and he's demanding fielders to come closer. Henry Nicholls hits the fourth ball for a four. But one interesting over with Indians enjoying the skipper's chirpy spell. NZ -129/3 (35). They need three runs.
8:03 AM IST: Second wicket for Jasprit Bumrah. Cleans up Tom Blundell (55 off 113). Almost a front-foot no-ball. NZ - 121/3 (32.5). New Zealand need 11 runs.
7:53 AM IST: WICKET! India are not giving in. Jasprit Bumrah stuns Kane Williamson (5 off 8) with a cracker of a delivery. A well-directed bouncer and caught by Ajinkya Rahane. NZ - 112/2 (30.6). New Zealand need 20 runs. Ross Taylor is the new man.
7:46 AM IST: Drinks | Umesh Yadav is testing Tom Blundell with pace. But nothing in return. Blundell is three away from a fifty, while Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson is on 1 off 2. NZ - 108/1 (30). New Zealand need 24 runs.
7:36 AM IST: WICKET! Something to cheer for India. Rishabh Pant takes a very good catch to help Umesh Yadav dismiss Tom Latham (52 off 74). NZ - 103/1 (27.1). New Zealand need 29 runs. Skipper Kane Williamson is the new man for the hosts.
7:30 AM IST: Tom Latham (51 off 67) hits Ravindra Jadeja for a four and fifty. In the previous over, bowled by Umesh Yadav. Tom Blundell survived a review. Umpire's call. NZ - 102/0 (26.1).
7:08 AM IST: Bowling change. Ravindra Jadeja on. Tom Latham (42 off 59) hits the first ball for a four, behind point. Then a three off the fifth ball. Eight runs from the over. Tom Blundell is unbeaten on 32 off 68. NZ - 82/0 (21). They need 50 more runs.
6:48 AM IST: Jasprit Bumrah resumes proceedings at Hagley Oval. Tom Latham (20 off 44) hits the third ball for a four, and fifty up for New Zealand. Tom Blundell is unbeaten on 24 off 52. NZ - 51/0 (16). They need 81 more runs.
6:43 AM IST: Players are back for the post-lunch session. Kiwis can make it quick.
6:34 AM IST: Meanwhile, there's something very juicy, post-Clasico fare.
6:11 AM IST: Deja vu! New Zealand won the first Test by 10 wickets at Wellington inside four days, and now they are likely to make a three-day affair. Tom Latham and Tom Blundell are brilliant so far. And Indian bowlers, the best in the world, having a tough time out there at Hagley Oval. Earlier, India dismissed for 124 in their second innings, leaving the hosts with a target of 132.
6:05 AM IST: Umesh Yadav gets the last over before the lunch break. Three singles from it. Tom Blundell (23 off 51) and Tom Latham (16 off 39) are in a serious-looking opening stand. NZ - 46/0 (15). They need 86 more runs.
5:53 AM IST: Tom Blundell (20 off 37) hits Mohammed Shami for two fours in the 12th over, off the first and fifth balls. And his opening partner Tom Latham (15 off 35) applauds. NZ - 41/0 (12). They need 91 more runs.
5:43 AM IST: Bowling change. Mohammed Shami on. He hits Tom Latham on the grill off the helmet. Nasty, but the Kiwi opener is fine. A barrage of bouncers. But Latham (15 off 35) and Tom Blundell (10 off 25) are in charge. In the previous over, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, India got some hearty shouts. NZ - 31/0 (10). They need 101 more runs.
5:32 AM IST: First maiden over for Umesh Yadav, to Tom Blundell (10 off 21). Tom Latham is on 14 off 27. NZ - 24/0 (8). They need 108 more runs.
5:20 Am IST: Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav continue (6 off 16) and Tom Blundell (9 off 14). NZ - 15/0 (5). They need 117 more runs to make it 2-0.
5:05 AM IST: A maiden from Jasprit Bumrah to Tom Latham. Umesh Yadav to share the new ball. Target - 132.
4:59 AM IST: Jasprit Bumrah with the new ball. First ball to Tom Latham. Tom Blundell is Latham's opening partner.
4:56 AM IST: And more concerns for India? Ravi Shastri certainly looks worried with Mohammed Shami in possible shoulder pain. Indian players are in a huddle. They need miracles today.
Innings Update: Resuming the third day on 90 for six, India lost overnight batsmen Hanuma Vihari (9) and Rishabh Pant (4) early, as the visitors headed for another big defeat following their 10-wicket drubbing in the series opener in Wellington.
For the hosts, lead pacer Trent Boult finished with impressive figures of 4/28 and his new ball partner Tim Southee was equally good, taking three wickets for 36 runs at the Hagley Oval. The pace duo maintained the pressure on the Indian batsmen and picked up wickets quickly to give the home team an opportunity to complete the match with more than two days to spare.
India had scored 242 in their first innings and New Zealand were all out for 235 to give the visitors a slender seven-run lead.
India 2nd Innings & 242; New Zealand 1st Innings - 235
4:50 AM IST: WICKET | Huge mix-up between the two Indian batsmen. Last ball of the 46th over, and Jasprit Bumrah, from the non-striker's end, wanted to give Ravindra Jadeja the strike, and is left stranded. He made 4 off 8. Jadeja unbeaten on 16 off 22. IND - 124 all out (45.6).
4:33 AM IST: WICKET | Tim Southee gets his third. Mohammed Shami caught by Tom Blundell for 5 off 11. India lead by 115 runs. Jasprit Bumrah is the last man. IND - 108/9 (42.4)
4:20 AM IST: Elsewhere, a little while ago, Real Madrid ended a seven-game winless run in El Clasico with a 2-0 victory against Barcelona, thanks to a couple of second-half strikes.
4:18 AM IST: Another WICKET | This time Rishabh Pant, caught behind. He made 4 off 14. Wicket for Trent Boult. Mohammed Shami is the new man. IND - 97/8 (39.3).
4:13 AM IST: WICKET | Tim Southee had Hanuma Vihari caught behind. He made 9 off 18. India lead by 104 runs. Ravindra Jadeja is the new man. IND - 97/7 (38.4); Pant - 4.
4:05 AM IST: Three off the first over of the day and India's lead is 100. IND - 93/6 (37); Vihari - 5, Pant - 4.
3:59 AM IST: It's still a green top. Expect plenty of assistance for pacers. India will resume on 90/6 with Hanuma Vihari (5 off 12) and Rishabh Pant (1 off 1). Their lead is 97 runs.
If India can get anything near 250, it will be game on. And Tim Southee to resume the proceedings, to Pant.
3:56 AM IST: Players are out. Get ready for one engrossing day of Test cricket.
India need a miracle to save the Test and avoid back-to-back whitewashes in New Zealand. After their 5-0 win in the ODIs, everything has fallen apart for Virat Kohli. Skipper's wretched form continued and with no saviour in sight, India will enter the third day's play seeking some divine interventions.
What happened on Day 2:
India, trailing the series 1-0, took a seven-run first-innings lead after bowling the Black Caps out for 235. But the batsmen frittered away a golden chance with another shoddy batting show as New Zealand regained complete control after Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah's hostile fast-bowling spell. India were reduced to 90/6 at stumps in their second innings for a lead of just 97.
Trent Boult (3/12 in 9 overs) got Mayank Agarwal (3) and Cheteshwar Pujara (24) with conventional inswingers that tails into right-handers. Prithvi Shaw (14) was out in familiar fashion, fending a short ball from Tim Southee, while skipper Kohli's (14) indecisive footwork brought his downfall once again.
Ajinkya Rahane, who was hit on the helmet, paid the price for an ugly shot, while Umesh Yadav expectedly didn't survive a rampaging Boult after he was inexplicably sent in as nightwatchman when nearly half an hour was left.
A target of 250 in the fourth innings could well be a challenge for the Black Caps as there is still something in the track for the speed merchants despite batsmen getting value for their shots.
Teams
India: Virat Kohli (c), Prithvi Shaw (wk), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Trent Boult.