LunchIndia Route 195 by 5 (Gill 70*, Jadeja 10*, Ajaz 2-76) New Zealand 235 for 40 runs
New Zealand didn’t help themselves, bowling both batsmen for 45 (Gill) and 53 (Pant). Pant’s missed opportunity didn’t cost New Zealand much as he fell lbw for 60 to Ish Sodhi. Sodhi had been introduced into the attack when the deficit had already been reduced to 84 and he bowled two overs of half-volleys and long jumps before getting into the rhythm. Glenn Phillips was then unlucky to be denied both wickets.
Pant, 1 for 1 overnight, began as he intended to continue. Ajaz were too full on the first ball of the day, which Pant pushed straight from mid-on, which went beyond the boundary. On the second ball, Pant came out and drilled it straight from that deep mid-on, which now went to long-on. Gill joined him with an inside-out chip over extra cover in Ajaz’s next over.
Pant then played the return shot for four to push forward short leg towards the back square, quickly offering what could have been catches to forward short leg the next two balls. It was Pant’s attacking mentality that forced New Zealand to choose one of the two areas to defend. Pant rubbed him for two sixes in Ajaz’s next two overs.
Gill didn’t want to be left behind. He tried to hit Phillips’ first ball of the day for a six, but ended up dodging it until the end, where substitute fielder Mark Chapman gave him a break. That proved to be a turning point in Gill’s innings, he proceeded to bow his head and only accepted the boundaries that were offered to him thereafter. He was 45 of 57 when he fell, but went to lunch with 70 of 106.
The pants don’t stop. He just takes a moment to regroup. He proceeded to pick a Sodhi googly and flick it through extra cover for four. However, once Sodhi found his length, it was not so easy to hit him. However, it was the shorter balls that misbehaved, mostly harmlessly. For Pant, one hit the target and hit him lbw, clipping the leg stump.
Ravindra Jadeja was promoted to maintain the left-right combination, and he and Gill got India through with a calm 15-run stand before a jammed Spidercam forced an early lunch.
