Mumbai: In this pioneering era of Test cricket, matches rarely extended into the fifth and final day. The lively crowd at Wankhede Stadium were treated to an exciting contest compressed into two action-packed days. The red-hot turner has already seen 29 wickets fall – 25 turns – and five half-centuries. And the match might not even last until the final session on Sunday.

What drama awaits the packed house expected on Sunday. India seems to have the advantage, but only just. New Zealand’s second innings lead is 143 runs with their last wicket in effect. Either New Zealand will pull off a victory of epic proportions to complete a 3-0 series sweep, or India will save their pride and give themselves some useful points to stand a chance of qualifying for the World Championship final. tests.

India are at this stage thanks to another Ashwin-Jadeja double act, their seven wickets helping to reduce New Zealand to 171/9 at stumps. This after India only managed a 28-run first innings lead, dismissed for 263 in the first innings.

With the constant threat of spin, runs were precious, which is why Shubman Gill called his 90 one of his best Test innings. In Rishabh Pant, Gill found a capable ally and together they were able to form a 96-run fifth wicket partnership to calm the nerves in the dressing room after the three dismissals in a matter of minutes the previous evening.

When bowlers are constantly threatening the bat, a good fifty can be worth a lot. Pant’s 59-ball 60 (8×4, 2×6) was one. Aided by the lifelines of New Zealand fielders, Pant and Gill, and Washington Sundar who scored a quickfire 38*, helped India take the slim first innings lead. For New Zealand, Ajaz Patel rose to the occasion in the absence of his compatriot Mitchel Santner with a five-wicket haul at the venue where he took all 10 wickets in an innings last time out.

Ashwin leads the way

India had three strong spinners to repeat the dose. Akash Deep started well to beat the defenses of skipper Tom Latham (1) around the wicket before Washington Sundar had Devon Conway caught for 22.

Rarely would Ravichandran Ashwin be more nervous among the Indian spin-off trio. But until New Zealand’s second innings, it hadn’t been a memorable series for the senior bowler. For the first 18.5 overs here, including 14 in the first innings, he was wicketless. This on a pitch helping the spinners and where all the other tweakers had gotten returns. That’s when Ashwin floated a spinner around the wicket to Rachin Ravindra, who took the bait. New Zealand’s top scorer in the series was stumped, charging and battered in the air. Ashwin punched the air, shouting in joy at having won the mini-battle. The big spin-off finally had a wicket to its name and was back in the contest.

That’s when Will Young (51) and Daryl Mitchell (21) formed a 50-year partnership to frustrate the Indians. Mitchell did this primarily by taking the aggressive route. He tried to hit Ravindra Jadeja out of the park again but found more height than distance. Under the ball was Ashwin, not the most agile as he himself admits, but a sure catcher, as he points out. Running sideways at mid-off with the match on a knife’s edge, Ashwin covered a considerable distance, lunged at the swirling ball that was flying away from him before diving to complete the catch.

Soon after, he baffled Glen Phillips with a carrom ball, ending his cameo (14-ball 26) in similar fashion after being carried for two consecutive sixes. Another carrom ball also had a telling effect, the set Will Young (51 — 100b, 2×4, 1×6) beaten to give a simple return. Jadeja then did even more damage.

With India still having the last remaining Kiwi wicket, they will be taking a pattern over the first two days. The fewest wickets fell in the morning session, perhaps due to the roller or sun effect – three on the first day and one on the second day – while the final session saw eight wickets fall on two days.

“We need a good partnership of 70-80 runs and that could be done and dusted,” Gill told reporters. Scoring runs has been anything but easy, but India would rather achieve such a victory than a dramatic end with everything else on the line.