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Ashwin, Axar Put India On Brink Of Series Victory; Chasing 540, Kiwis Slip To 140 For 5 At The End Of Day Three

- Gaurav Gupta

Mumbai: Has the endgame begun in Ross Taylor’s glittering career? It was a question that popped up into the mind as the Kiwi veteran mistimed a slog-sweep — a shot he has mastered —off a R Ashwin delivery, with Cheteshwar Pujara running to his right to complete the job.

Looking to delay a certain defeat on Day Three of the second Test against India at the Wankhede Stadium, New Zealand were 45 for two when the 37-year-old walked in. With skipper Kane Williamson missing this game due to an elbow injury, the Kiwis would’ve expected the senior-most member of their team to put his hand up and fight. However, during his nine-minute visit to the crease, all Taylor, a man with 7,577 runs in 109 Tests, did was look to smash the ball out of the ground. Twice off Ashwin and Axar Patel, he was nearly bowled while going for the big, expansive drive. It seemed his mind was on the plane back home.

This tendency to commit hara-kiri then spread to the others in the Kiwi camp. Having just smashed Axar for a superb six over long-on, Daryl Mitchell (60, 92b, 7x4, 2x6) — who had played brilliantly till then, again tried to hit the left-arm spinner out of sight, only to mishit a ball a bit too wide from him to Jayant Yadav at deep extra cover. Later, ‘keeper Tom Blundell (0) ran for a non-existent single and paid the price, as substitute KS Bharat fired in a quick throw from mid-off to run him out.