1st Test: NZ bowled out for 296, Axar takes five-for
Indian all-rounder Axar Patel mowed down the New Zealand batting line-up on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test at Green Park, Kanpur. The left-arm off-spinner continues his phenomenal run in Test cricket, having registered his fifth five-wicket haul. New Zealand, who started the day at 151/0, were bundled out for 296. Ravichandran Ashwin also took three wickets. Here are the key takeaways.
NZ resumed from their overnight score of 129/0. Tom Latham and Will Young took the Kiwis past 150. In the first session, Ashwin gave India the much-required breakthrough in the form of Young. Kane Williamson also departed toward the session's end. The next two sessions belonged to Axar, who took a five-for. Meanwhile, India finished on 14/1 at stumps. They lead by 63 runs.
Axar dented the plight of New Zealand with his amazing deliveries. He ended up taking a five-wicket haul, his fifth in Test cricket. Axar has now taken the joint-second-most five-wicket hauls in the first four Tests along with Tom Richardson and Rodney Hogg. Charlie Turner tops the list with six five-fors. Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Narendra Hirwani have taken three.
Axar now has the joint-most five-wicket hauls in the year of debut, with Rodney Hogg. The former now has 32 wickets at at incredible average of 10.87. The tally includes the best match figures of 11/70.
Kyle Jamieson struck on his first ball of the second innings. He dismissed opener Shubman Gill. With this, the former completed 50 wickets in Test cricket. Jamieson is now the fastest New Zealand bowler to complete 50 Test wickets. He broke the long-standing record of Shane Bond, who reached the landmark in 12 Tests. Chris Martin took his 50th wicket in 13 Tests.
For New Zealand, Latham played a terrific knock. He stitched a 151-run stand along with Young, who was outfoxed by R Ashwin in the first session earlier in the day. Latham, who could have scored his 12th Test ton, finished with 95 off 282 balls (10 fours). He is the second New Zealand batter to be dismissed stumped in 90s, after John Wright (99).
Axar has taken four-plus wickets in a Test innings for the sixth successive time. No other Indian bowler has done so in more than four consecutive innings. His figures in Test cricket read as - 2/40, 5/60, 6/38, 5/32, 4/68, 5/48, and 5/62. Meanwhile, Jamieson has taken 1,865 balls to take 50 wickets, the third-most in Test cricket.
