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Gill misses a ton, India make 263 before New Zealand at 171-9
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Gill misses a ton, India make 263 before New Zealand at 171-9

:Shubman Gill missed a century as Rishabh Pant scored a quickfire 60 as India made 263 in reply to New Zealand’s 235 before their spinners reduced the tourists to 171-9 at stumps on day two of the low-scoring third Test in Mumbai on Saturday.

Ajaz Patel was unbeaten on seven after Will Young struggled with 51 in testing conditions as New Zealand overcame a slim 28-run deficit to build a valuable lead of 143 at the end of another sweltering day at the stadium Wankhede.

Akash Deep put New Zealand under early pressure in the second stanza when he bowled skipper Tom Latham for one and Washington Sundar caught opener Devon Conway for 22 at the start of an absorbing final session.

Ravichandran Ashwin (3-63) left Rachin Ravindra stranded for four to leave New Zealand in trouble at 44-3 before he took a fine catch that dismissed the dangerous Daryl Mitchell for 21 after the batsman made a round of 50 points. stay with Young.

Ravindra Jadeja (4-52) took his second wicket, dismissing Tom Blundell for four, while Ashwin caught the aggressive Glenn Phillips for 26 before the momentum shifted further to India after Ish Sodhi fell for eight.

Young tried to take the game from India with a patient effort, but returned one to Ashwin and Matt Henry was bowled by Jadeja for 10 on the last ball of the day.

Gill, riding his luck, looked well set to score an early ton as India cruised towards New Zealand’s total after lunch, but the batsman stopped spinner Ajaz Patel at slip and departed for a fluent 90 .

Patel then removed Ashwin for six and finished with superb figures of 5-103 as Deep was run out, leaving Washington unbeaten on 38.

PREMIUM NERVES

A late collapse on Friday meant India resumed 86-4 and Pant relaxed his nerves early, hitting Patel for three boundaries in the opener before getting one for four a little later.

Gill was given a reprieve on 45 as he looked to charge Phillips midway through the first session when substitute Mark Chapman dropped a simple catch on the run from deep.

He then reached his seventh Test half-century as the Black Caps struggled to limit the runs after missing a big chance to turn up the heat for the hosts and extend their own chances to a 3-run series -0 unprecedented.

Pant, who went all out and hit Patel out of the park a couple of times and pulled Phillips for a four, then took a single to reach his fifty in just 36 balls, the fastest by an Indian against New Zealand.

Phillips was unlucky to miss again when Henry dropped Pant on 53 but Sodhi caught the batsman lbw to end the fifth wicket partnership for 96.

Jadeja fell early in the second session for 14 when Phillips forced him past one to slip while Sarfaraz Khan was caught behind by Patel for a four-ball duck.

New Zealand won the opening match in Bengaluru by eight wickets for their first Test victory in India in 36 years and wrapped up the series in Pune with a 113-run victory.

The last time India were eliminated at home was in 2000 when they lost 2-0 to South Africa.