Rachin Ravindra struck a marvellous unbeaten hundred to resist a spirited Indian bowling attack led by Ravindra Jadeja as New Zealand reached 345 for seven at lunch to extend their lead on the third day of the first Test in Bengaluru on Friday. Ravindra (104, 125b) and an equally feisty Tim Southee (49, 50b) were at the crease when the lunch was taken, as the visitors led by 299 runs.
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Ravindra, overnight 22, and Southee have so far added precious 112 runs for the eighth wicket alliance.
Resuming the day from 180 for three, New Zealand lost wickets regularly in the initial hour to raise the vision of a collapse before Ravindra bailed them out with a stunning knock.
Ravindra, who has his family roots in Bengaluru, concentrated on safeguarding his wicket when the bowlers were on the rampage, but opened up once the pitch settled down more to display his full range.
The left-hander showed the correct method to play spinners on this track, either staying on the front foot or making a shimmy down the pitch that nullified the turn and also took the leg before dismissal out of the equation.
A thundering six off Jadeja took him to 94 and he reached 98 by dispatching the very next ball to the fence through the covers.
There were no nerves as a cleanly swept four off Ravichandran Ashwin carried him to his second Test hundred, which he celebrated with gusto.
Southee, who hammered a couple of his trademark sixes, gave solid company to Ravindra as New Zealand motored away quickly to command.
Earlier, pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj struck better line and length in the initial hour of the day as compared to the previous day, and they were rewarded with a wicket each.
Daryl Mitchell, overnight 14, was the first to depart, slashing Siraj straight to Yashasvi Jaiswal near gully.
Bumrah soon accounted for Tom Blundell, who guided an away going delivery to KL Rahul at second slip as the Kiwis lost two wickets in the space of 11 runs.
Jadeja, who relishes to challenge incoming batters, stepped in at the right time and the pace at which he bowled was good enough to keep the batsmen in doubt on a slightly two-paced pitch.
The dismissal of Glenn Phillips was a telling example. The right-hander can do serious damage if he stays in the crease for a longer duration, and his massive straight six off Kuldeep Yadav had a foreboding look to it.
But Jadeja kept Phillips to backfoot often and finally managed to breach his defence with a quick, fuller one that came along with his arm.
Jadeja soon added the wicket of Matt Henry to the kitty, as the batter could not connect a pull and the ball rearranged his stumps.
But New Zealand had their own Ravindra to shore them up amidst the flurry of wickets at the other end.
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