IND vs NZ, WTC final, Day 3: Kyle Jamieson, Devon Conway put New Zealand on top, India struggle

The game of cricket can be compared to the swinging of a pendulum. While the advantage lies with a certain team one day, it can roll over to the other team very soon. India realised this the hard way as the advantage lies firmly with New Zealand in the final of the maiden edition of the World Test Championship (WTC), having been with the Men in Blue this time yesterday. The Black Caps finished Day 3 with 101 runs for the loss of two wickets in 49 overs, with Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor the batsmen at the crease. They trail India by 116 runs, having bowled them out for 217. Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin have accounted for a wicket apiece so far.

Devon Conway (54) became the first batsman to score a half-century in the final of an edition of the WTC. Conway scored 54 runs off 153 deliveries in an innings comprising of six boundaries. He stitched a strong opening partnership of 70 runs with Tom Latham (30), setting up a proper platform for the rest of the batsmen after Kyle Jamieson’s heroics with the ball.

Kyle Jamieson makes his presence felt

Jamieson helped New Zealand wrap up the Indian innings for 217 in 92.1 overs after Team India skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane resumed on 146/3 on Day 3. The pacer accounted for the key wicket of Kohli, dismissing him for 44 runs off 132 deliveries. He followed it up with the crucial dismissal of Rishabh Pant (4), who can be a game-changer on his day. Jamieson further struck with the dismissals of Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah recording a five-wicket haul. He had dismissed Rohit Sharma on Day 2. It was Jamieson’s fifth five-wicket haul in just eight Tests.

Neil Wagner, Trent Boult and Tim Southee chipped in with a wicket apiece. They accounted for the dismissals of Rahane (49), Ravindra Jadeja (15) and Ravichandran Ashwin (22) respectively.

217 certainly seems like a below-par total considering the superb opening partnership between Rohit and Shubman Gill on Day 2. India got off to a solid start, with Rohit and Gill looking confident in the middle. The former scored four boundaries as the opening pair recorded a 50-run stand. A change in the bowling attack reduced the flow of runs, with New Zealand getting the breakthrough soon after. Tim Southee completed a fine catch low to his right, off Jamieson to dismiss Rohit for 34. This was soon followed by a second wicket for the Black Caps before lunch, as Neil Wagner struck with only his third ball of the match. Wagner obtained an edge off Shubman’s bat with keeper BJ Watling comfortably completing a catch in his final Test.

The Indian bowling attack comprising of players like Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah will look to make its presence felt on Day 4, in order to ensure the game remains competitive.

Gill certainly believes that Team India have a reasonable chance, considering the crucial dismissal of Conway who can be a game-changer on his day.

“It was a crucial wicket. If we were able to bowl a couple of more overs, we’d have got a couple more wickets. When play starts tomorrow, we’ll have a slight edge as both of them (Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson) are relatively new in the crease,” he said in the press conference after the end of Day 3.