Mumbai, Nov 2 Akash Deep claimed the key wicket of New Zealand skipper Tom Latham as the visitors reached 26/1 in nine overs at tea on the second day of the third Test after Ajaz Patel claimed a five-wicket haul to restrict India's first innings to 263, allowing the hosts just a 28-run lead.
Akash Deep bowled Latham with a superb delivery that landed on a good length and nipped back to sneak through the gap between the bat and pad to disturb the stumps. Latham, who had survived a close appeal on the previous delivery, was out for 1 but New Zealand survived the next few overs to go in for tea at 26/1 in nine overs.
Devon Conway was batting on 15 and Will Young was on 8 at tea with New Zealand just two runs behind Indi and the game evenly poised once again on a knife's edge.
Earlier, Patel's five-wicket haul helped New Zealand bowl out for 263, preventing the hosts from taking a big lead. With Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) batting aggressively in the morning, India were looking at taking a big lead as they reached 195/5 at lunch.
Patel claimed 3-27 as he came back strongly after the lunch break as India, trailing 0-2 in the series in which they have managed 46 and 156 in their first innings in Bengaluru and Pune respectively, lost wickets in a heap once again.
Shubman Gill was brilliant as he showed controlled aggression, slamming a few boundaries after the lunch period before falling to Patel, falling to keep down a defensive prod and Daryl Mitchell completed a fine catch.
Ravindra Jadeja (17) and Sarfaraz (0) fell in quick succession and Gill was out for 90 after the lunch break, missing out on a well-deserved century. India could take a narrow lead thanks to some lusty hitting by Washington Sundar, who hammered a 36-ball 38 not out.
Brief scores:
At tea, day 2: New Zealand 235 & 26/1 in 9 overs (Devon Conway 15 not out, Will Young 8 not out; Akash Deep 1-9) trail India 263 in 59.4 overs (Shubman Gill 90, Rishabh Pant 60, Washington Sundar 38 not out; Ajaz Patel 5-103) by 2 runs.
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