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Sarfaraz Khan’s antics cause New Zealand batting. Here’s how Rohit Sharma responded

Posted on by Pranco
Sarfaraz Khan’s antics cause New Zealand batting. Here’s how Rohit Sharma responded




Captain of the Indian cricket team Rohit Sharma had to intervene afterwards Sarfaraz Khan‘s antics left the New Zealand batsman in an uproar Daryl Mitchell on Day 1 of the third Test match in Mumbai on Friday. During the 32nd over of the New Zealand innings, Mitchell expressed frustration over Sarfaraz continuously speaking from the silly point position and the umpire decided to call the fielder for a chat. Rohit quickly intervened as he made his point to the umpires and the situation was resolved for the time being.

Non-spinner Washington Sundar hampered New Zealand’s progress with two crucial strikes as the visitors reached 92/3 at lunch against India. Washington (2/26) added two more dismissals to take his wicket count to 13 in the series, maintaining steady pressure on the Kiwi batters after the pacer. Akash Deep (22/1) gave India the first breakthrough.

By lunch New Zealand had their hopes up Will Jong for a long run that hit well, reaching 38 not out (3x4s, 1x6s), with Daryl Mitchell (11 not out) at the other end.

Washington’s identical attempts to remove the skipper Tom Latham (28) and in-form Rachin Ravindra (5) helped India get things back under control in the second half of the session as New Zealand looked to consolidate on a day one wicket, which meant something for all parties involved.

After an 11-wicket haul in the second Test in Pune, Washington picked up the pace quickly after his introduction into attack to continue testing the defense of the Kiwi batsmen.

It wasn’t long before he struck, drawing the New Zealand captain out to defend but beating him with the drift and sparking a delivery that pitched into the line of stumps in his third over, Washington beating the outside edge of the bat to hit the off-stump.

Kiwi batting sensation Ravindra suffered a similar fate on the fifth delivery facing the Indian spinner, who again got the ball to spin around the outside edge and hit the off-stump.

Earlier, when there wasn’t much initial movement from the surface to help the Indian pacers, the trick of going a little longer seemed to work well as Mohammed Siraj captured Devon Conway (4) for the wickets, but a thick inside edge saved the opener in the third over.

However, Akash bowled one into the southpaw that beat Conway’s bat to pin him out leg-forward, with New Zealand also burning a review against the on-field call.

While Latham consolidated from there and used the sweep shot to good effect, Young again showed his range of strokes and composed defense as a solid No. 3 hitter for the Kiwis.

Young went after whatever width had to offer to collect boundaries and after studying R Ashwin (0/20) quite well for the Indian spinner’s first three overs, he had no hesitation in swinging around the track to reach the ropes over midwicket to clear. .

(With PTI inputs)

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