Only one side has ever won a Test after scoring fewer than the 46 they did in the first innings of the match, but India were entertaining thoughts of doing it.
They are onto something special in Bengaluru, and that through a sensational attacking approach with the bat.
Don’t get it wrong, New Zealand were still ahead on cold numbers, but India have been pulling off unbelievable wins of late and a fourth-innings chase of even a 100 or so will not be easy.
A day after being bowled out for 46 and falling behind by 136 runs, which then ballooned up to a total deficit of 356, India batted at well over five an over until the last few overs to finish 125 behind with seven of their wickets still in hand.
New Zealand got themselves late fillip through Glenn Phillips, who snuck in an outside edge from Virat Kohli to the last ball of the day.
When you get bowled out for 46 in the first innings, you need pretty much everything to go your way, but India kept marching on even when things didn’t go their way.
Their testing bowling early in the day was interrupted by the quickest hundred-run stand against India in India, but their batters came out positive, putting New Zealand under immense pressure on what was now a flat pitch.
The bowlers erred regularly, spread-out fields allowed easy runs, and a catch went down.
Even the falling wickets failed to slow India down. When Yashasvi Jaiswal got out stumped, Rohit Sharma scored 16 off the next eight balls he played.
Rohit’s freakish dismissal, played on off a dead defensive, brought out Sarfaraz Khan, who raced away to 23 off 16. Like Joe Root among the hectic England batters, Virat Kohli remained serene, but also skipped down the track to hit a six off Ajaz Patel almost as a nod to acknowledge the positive approach.
However, this approach will be tested as a new batter will join Sarfaraz, unbeaten on 70, on the fourth morning. (ESPNcricinfo)
