India vs New Zealand Live Score: Day 2, Session 2 in a nutshell

Akash Deep made an early breakthrough after India fought hard to take a slim first-innings lead against New Zealand, with the visitors reaching 26/1 at tea on the second day of the final Test in Mumbai on Saturday .

New Zealand’s India route consists of two runs.

India, who folded for 263 in reply to New Zealand’s 235, took a 28-run lead after Shubman Gill (90) missed his century and Ajaz Patel (5/103) found his mojo to add another five-for to claim.

Akash provided a rare sight of a pacer disrupting a batsman’s furniture on a turning track when he dismantled the off and middle stumps of Tom Latham (1) in the first over.

But Will Young (8 not out) and Devon Conway (15 not out) did well to thwart India’s challenge and ensure no further damage was caused.

Earlier, India’s remarkable progress given the plight of their batting side suffered a major blow when Rishabh Pant (60) departed towards the end of the morning session as its effects were acutely felt when play resumed after lunch .

From Pant’s dismissal in the 38th over to India finally folding in the 60th, the team managed eight fours and two sixes – only the wicketkeeper-batsman hit so many during his lively half-century earlier.

Patel, finding the right length, reaped the rewards as the Kiwi spinner claimed another five-for at the Wankhede Stadium, following his world record 10/119 in the first innings of the 2021 Test here.

From 180 for five, India folded for 263, with Gill failing to reach his milestone, while others continued to disappoint.

Perhaps there was no bigger disappointment than seeing Sarfaraz Khan look like a fish out of water during his four-ball battle, failing to open his account on his home field, where he has sometimes plundered runs for fun.

Sarfaraz failed to read the length of his first ball and went for a mighty sweep against Patel with his pomp, but was beaten by the bounce and turned around on the next one. He might have fallen on the third ball when it bounced off his glove, but that wasn’t a crazy thought.

But he had to walk back when the ball bounced and turned into goalkeeper Tom Blundell’s gloves after he kissed the shoulder of his bat.

Gill, who showed no flaws in his 146-ball stay with seven fours and a six – the longest for any batsman in this Test – was also one of Patel’s victims on the day when the Mumbai-based Kiwi spinner joined him at the first slip was caught after a nice tap.

Ravindra Jadeja (14) was also caught at first slip, albeit off Glenn Phillips, as Washington Sundar fought a lonely battle among the three all-rounders and scored a smooth 36-ball 38 not out with four boundaries and two sixes.