Washington Sundar, who returned to the Test side after March 2021, justified his return with his maiden haul of five wickets from five appearances. After removing Southee to bring up his fifth wicket, the 25-year-old swept the tail in the final session. His first wicket came when he bowled Ravindra for 65 to break a 59-run fourth wicket tie with Daryl Mitchell as New Zealand collapsed from 197–3.

Conway reached his 11th Test fifty with a four soon after lunch and put on 62 runs with fellow left-hander Ravindra to thwart the Indian attack.

Ashwin overtakes Lyon


Ashwin broke through to catch Conway behind with a delivery that deflected from well outside off stump.

The wicket took Ashwin past Australian spinner Nathan Lyon’s 530 wickets and placed him seventh in the list of leading Test bowlers.

Latham and Conway blunted Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep’s opening pace attack, prompting Rohit to bring on Ashwin in the eighth over. He struck with his fifth ball to trap Latham lbw for 15.

Conway then put on 44 with Will Young and the two looked at ease before Ashwin struck again and Young fell behind for 18.

Unplayable deliveries

Washington lifted the gloom with a couple of unplayable deliveries that kept Ravindra and Tom Blundell (3) in the cupboard within 10 minutes before tea. He returned after the break to remove Daryl Mitchell (18), Glenn Phillips (9), Southee (5) and Ajaz Patel (4) and left the touring side in shock.

Mitchell Santner was the last to fall for an entertaining 33, with the southpaw’s stumps shattered by yet another peach of a delivery from Washington.

Conway earlier reached his third fifty in four innings with a driven boundary on Jasprit Bumrah’s first delivery after lunch and hit him twice more in the same over.

He also launched the reverse sweep to good effect, but fell behind after a misjudged drive off Ashwin, who bagged his 531st wicket to surpass Australian Nathan Lyon and sit seventh on the all-time list.

New Zealand opted to bat and made a good start as new permanent captain Tom Latham and Conway negotiated the fast bowlers safely, but India hit back by introducing spin after seven overs.

Ashwin had captain Latham trapped plumb in front of the wicket for 15 minutes with one that drifted and turned, while Washington also got early help from the black-ground wicket.

New Zealand continued to rotate the strike, punishing the rare poor delivery, before Ashwin struck again by leaving Will Young 18 behind after a successful review when the batsman attempted to tick one down the leg side.

India have won their last 18 home series since 2012, but that record is at stake after they lost the opening Test in Bengaluru. The last match will be in Mumbai early next month.