Fifty for Wriddhiman Saha! The keeper-batter glances at a delivery angled down leg by Somerville, coming back for a second and raising his bat to celebrate what has been a gritty knock from the Bengal cricketer. Saha had been criticised for his lack of runs in the recent past, but this knock should shut the naysayers up for a bit. IND 213/7
After 77 overs,India 211/7 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 49 , Axar Patel 17)
Ajaz Patel returns to the attack. Three singles from the over, two of which are collected by Saha as he moves to 49. India’s lead is worth 260 at the end of this over.
After 76 overs,India 208/7 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 47 , Axar Patel 16)
Somerville continues after the drinks interval. Two from the over. Saha moves to 47 with a single off the penultimate delivery.
After 75 overs,India 206/7 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 46 , Axar Patel 15)
Saha and Axar collect a single each as Jamieson concedes two from his 17th. Drinks are out on the field at the moment, and one wonders if India will go the full distance with their batting lineup, or think of a declaration at some point.
After 74 overs,India 204/7 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 45 , Axar Patel 14)
Saha guides the ball behind point off the second delivery, setting off for a single. Axar manages to block out the third delivery, in which the ball stays a touch low and threatens to sneak in under the bat and onto the stumps. One from the over.
After 73 overs,India 203/7 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 44 , Axar Patel 14)
Jamieson, the pick of the New Zealand bowlers this innings with figures of 3/37, returns to the attack, replacing Southee. Starts off on a tidy note, with just one coming from it as Saha sets off for a single off the first delivery.
After 72 overs,India 202/7 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 43 , Axar Patel 14)
Tidy over from Somerville, with just one coming from it as Saha sets off for a single off the first delivery.
After 71 overs,India 201/7 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 42 , Axar Patel 14)
Three singles from this over. India go past the 200-mark, which looked very difficult when they were five-down for 51, with two set batters at the crease. Their lead swells to 250, already a steep target for the Kiwis.
After 70 overs,India 198/7 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 40 , Axar Patel 13)
Maiden for Somerville, only the second of the innings for the off-spinner, as Axar decides to block his way through the over.
Players with a ton and fifty on Test debut
List of players with century and fifty-plus on Test debut: K Ranjitsinhji
G Gunn
H Collins
P Gibb
L Rowe
R Redmond
C Greenidge
Azhar Mahmood
L Vincent
S Styris
Yasir Hameed
A Strauss
A Cook
Umar Akmal
F Du Plessis
S IYER #INDvsNZTestSeries#CricketTwitter— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) November 28, 2021