Southampton, June 20: New Zealand openers had a cautious and slow start as they reached 36 for no loss at the tea break on day three of the World Test Championships (WTC) Final on Sunday (June 20).
Having restricted India to a below-par 217, New Zealand's in-form opening pair of Tom Latham and Devon Conway negotiated against a disciplined Indian bowling unit. Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah started the proceedings for India with the new ball and asked some tough questions early on but the duo failed to get a breakthrough.
India captain Virat Kohli then introduced Mohammed Shami into the attack and the seamer started troubling the Kiwi openers instantly. With his tight line and length and variations, Shami managed to create some half chances but the right-arm speedster was a tad unlucky to not get a wicket. Kohli also introduced his most successful bowler in the WTC i.e. Ravichandran Ashwin into the attack but the off-spinner too failed to get any breakthrough with the new ball.
At the end of the second session, New Zealand reached 36 for no loss in 21 overs and denied the Indians any opportunity to celebrate.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson was the pick of the bowlers as he picked up his fifth five-wicket haul in Test cricket and helped the Kiwis restrict India to 217 in 92.1 overs in their first innings.
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India resumed the day's play for 146 for three but the Kohli-led side only mustered 71 runs on the third day as they lost their remaining seven wickets courtesy. Jamieson - who is playing only his eighth Test - was very disciplined all through the innings as it took his team a little more than just a session to rattle the Indian batting attack.
Left-arm quick Trent Boult picked up his second scalp of the match when he got Ravindra Jadeja (15) caught behind by wicketkeeper BJ Watling to end India's innings.
Kohli was the first Indian batsman to perish on day three as he became a victim of his RCB teammate Jamieson. India's batting mainstay couldn't add a single run to his overnight total of 44 before he was trapped plumb in front by Jamieson.