IND v NZ 1st Test Day 3 Report: India spin a web around New Zealand, lead by 215 runs

Jadeja takes five, Ashwin four

Kanpur: Exploiting a turning track, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja scalped three batsmen in one over for a five-wicket haul while Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed four wickets as India spun out New Zealand for 262 on day three to take control of the first cricket Test here on Saturday.

With a 56-run first innings lead, Indian openers Murali Vijay (14 batting) and KL Rahul (38) took India to 52 for one at tea as the hosts extended their overall lead to 108 with nine second innings wickets in hand.

Leg-break bowler Ish Sodhi had Rahul caught in first slip at the fag end of extended second session. The umpires called for tea break, immediately after Rahul's wicket.

The New Zealanders had started the bright and sunny day at a strong 152 for one but lost nine wickets for 100 runs with Ashwin (4/93) and Jadeja (5/73) exposing visitors' shortcomings in handling spin.

The Indians too had faltered in their first innings from being 154 for one to be 318 all out.

Jadeja ran through the lower order in the post-lunch session by dismissing Mark Craig (2), Ish Sodhi (0) and Trent Boult (0) and Ashwin closed the innings by catching BJ Watling (21) in his own follow through as the Kiwis lost their last five wickets for just 24 runs in 10.5 overs.

The Indian spinners had started the rot by taking three wickets in the space of 24 balls in the morning session when Ashwin removed both the overnight batsmen -- Tom Latham (58) and captain Kane Williamson (75) -- and Jadeja got rid of danger man Ross Taylor for a duck.

Luke Ronchi (38), who had warmed up for the series with a century in the Delhi practice game, went about his business fearlessly as he took the fight to the rival camp.

He drove and cut Ashwin to boundary ropes with confidence and steadied the Kiwi innings along with Mitchell Santner (32), who was sent ahead of much-experienced BJ Watling.

They added 49 runs for the fifth wicket before Jadeja trapped Ronchi with a full length delivery.

Ronchi, who hit six boundaries in his 83-ball innings, tried to sweep but the delivery was too full for that shot.

India took the new ball immediately after 80 overs and asked Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami to start the post-lunch session. However, they remained ineffective and the ball was given to Ashwin, who responded with the wicket of Mitchell Santner (32).

That was Ashwin's first ball of the session which turned from middle and leg, took an edge before being lapped up by Wriddhiman Saha.

Jadeja was on verge of a hat-trick with wickets of Kraig and Sodhi in successive balls but Boult denied him the milestone before handing a catch to forward short-leg fielder in the last ball of the over.

Since the final session was washed out yesterday, the match began 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled start. 

Ashwin provided India the first breakthrough by trapping Latham in the fifth over of the day. It was a straight ball that struck the pads of Latham, who lunged forward to block it. The Kiwis had added only seven runs to their overnight total at that time.

With that dismissal, the 124-run partnership between Williamson and Latham ended. 

The Kiwis had hardly settled when Jadeja, who was getting good turn and bounce, sent back Taylor, who also tried to defend on the frontfoot but was caught in line.

After two quick blows, the Kiwis needed Williamson to stay but Ashwin saw the back of rival captain with a peach of a delivery that turned sharply from outside off to hit the stumps.

Ashwin and Jadeja had bowled testing 10 overs in tandem when India captain Virat Kohli brought part-timer Murali Vijay into the attack to bowl his off-breaks, replacing Jadeja. 

Perhaps the rationale behind the move was that New Zealanders' footwork was cagey against off-spin and a left-hander in Santner was also at the crease.

However, the pressure, which was created by Ashwin and Jadeja got released. Further, introduction of paceman Umesh Yadav into the attack brought relief for the visitors, since handling the pace was much easier than the spin.

Luke Ronchi (38), who had warmed up for the series with a century in the Delhi practice game, went about his business fearlessly as he took the fight to the rival camp.

He drove and cut Ashwin to boundary ropes with confidence and steadied the Kiwi innings along with Mitchell Santner (32), who was sent ahead of the more-experienced BJ Watling.

They added 49 runs for the fifth wicket before Jadeja trapped Ronchi with a full length delivery.

Ronchi, who hit six boundaries in his 83-ball innings, tried to sweep but the delivery was too full for that shot.

India took the new ball immediately after 80 overs and asked Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami to start the post-lunch session. However, they remained ineffective and the ball was given to Ashwin, who responded with the wicket of Mitchell Santner (32).

That was Ashwin's first ball of the session which turned from middle and leg, took and edge, lapped up by Wriddhiman Saha.

Jadeja was on verge of a hat-trick with wickets of Kraig and Sodhi in successive balls but Boult denied him the milestone before handing a catch to forward short-leg fielder in the last ball of the over.

Since the final session was washed out on Friday, the match began 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled start. 

Ashwin provided India the first breakthrough by trapping Tom Latham (58) in the fifth over of the day. It was a straight ball that struck the pads of Latham, who lunged forward to block it. The Kiwis had added only seven runs to their overnight total at that time.

With that dismissal, the 124-run partnership between Williamson and Latham ended.

The Kiwis had hardly settled when Jadeja, who was getting good turn and bounce, sent back Taylor, who also tried to defend on the front foot but was caught in line.

After two quick blows, the Kiwis needed Williamson to stay but Ashwin saw the back of rival captain with a peach of a delivery that turned sharply from outside off to hit the stumps.

Ashwin and Jadeja had bowled testing 10 overs in tandem when India captain Virat Kohli brought part-timer Murali Vijay into the attack to bowl his off-breaks, replacing Jadeja.

Perhaps the motive behind the move was that New Zealanders' footwork was cagey against off-spin and a left-hander in Santner was also at the crease. However, the pressure, which was created by Ashwin and Jadeja got released.

Further, the introduction of paceman Yadav into the attack brought relief for the visitors, since handling pace was much easier than the spin. That was 18th over of the day.

Brief Score

India: 318 and 159/1 in 47 overs (Murali Vijay 64 batting, Cheteshwar Pujara 50 batting)

New Zealand: 262 all out in 95.5 overs (Kane Williamson 75, Tom Latham 58; Ravindra Jadeja 5/73, Ravichandran Ashwin 4/93).