New Zealand vs India- 1st Test- Can India pull off an unlikely win??
When a team trails the opposition by 301 runs, going into the second innings, that too on the 3rd day morning of a Test Match, u normally expect it to be curtains for the side trailing. However a very spirited bowling and fielding display by Team India in the form of Shami,Ishant and Jadeja, meant New Zealand 2nd innings folding up for just 105 runs, after deciding against enforcing the follow-on. Retrospective evaluation may suggest that the follow-on should have been enforced straightaway, but maybe New Zealand didn’t want to repeat the mistake by Australia in 2001 at Kolkata, of chasing on the final day on an impaired track.
So as the situation stands India have a target of 406 before them, and are batting confidently at 87/1, needing another 319, to pull off an unlikely win. The way Team India has come back into the game must be lauded and suddenly they seem to have raised hopes of a victory. With two whole days to go, they can take their time to knock off the runs, and with both Pujara and Dhawan looking good, we can only hope for the best. The last thing India needs is to panic at the target, or the fact that 400+ totals have hardly ever been chased in the final innings of a Test Match. A session by session approach would do much better for Team India’s chances. All said and done, a crucial day ahead for Team India.
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