JADEJA FIFER GIVES INDIA EDGE

WANKHEDE TEST| New Zealand bounce back late in the day to take four wickets including that of Virat Kohli

- Haridev Pushparaj

India put on a terrific all-round show to wrest the initiative, but New Zealand hit back with four wickets to even the advantage on day one of the third Test at the Wankhede Stadium.

Led by the heroics of Ravindra Jadeja, who picked 5/65, India bowled out New Zealand for 235 in 65.4 overs, but New Zealand hit right back with four wickets, including a needless run out of Virat Kohli at the fag end of the day to leave themselves with a lot of work to do at 86/4 in 19 overs at stumps on day one.

India had lost skipper Rohit for 18 off Matt Henry, after which Yashasvi Jaiswal and nightwatchman Mohammad Siraj were snapped up by Ajaz Patel before Kohli was run out off a direct hit by Henry.

Meanwhile, Rohit was dropped on 15 at the deep after he struck three fours as the Indian captain got a life. But he was a goner in the seventh over when Henry had him at slip caught by Tom Latham off a back-of-a-length delivery.

Earlier, in the NZ innings, Akash Deep struck in the fourth over of the day when he had Devon Conway trapped leg before to a beauty of a delivery as New Zealand slipped to 15/1.

Both the Indian new-ball bowlers, Mohammad Siraj and Akash Deep, were penetrative in their opening spells with a tight, stump-to-stump line.