India's left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (5-73) and offie Ravichandran Ashwin (4-93) dismiss New Zealand for 262 in quick time to enjoy overall lead of 215 runs on Day Three of Kanpur Test
India's left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja appeals against New Zealand's Ish Sodhi on the third day of the opening Test at Green Park in Kanpur on Saturday. PIC/AP
India's left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja appeals against New Zealand's Ish Sodhi on the third day of the opening Test at Green Park in Kanpur on Saturday. PIC/AP
Kanpur: Ravindra Jadeja has the knack of exploiting a turning track where the odd ball keeps low. One can expect him to deliver more often than not. The scuffed-up Green Park pitch was to his liking and he was in his elements, especially with a bowler of Ravichandran Ashwin's calibre keeping up the pressure at the other end.
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"I have been brought up playing on such pitches and know how to bowl on them and at what pace. Patience and perseverance are also the keys as one can get excited by all the turn that such pitch generates. Thus, we stuck to our gameplan and reaped dividends" said the left-arm spinner from the land of Ranji.
The spin duo brought about dramatic transformation in the fortunes of the first Test in Kanpur, first by muzzling and then puzzling the batsmen to their doom. The gameplan of the Indian team was obvious from the beginning of the day — to rely entirely on the two Ravis, so much so that Mohammed Shami got to bowl just one over during the entire day, and that too with the second new ball.
Ravichandran Ashwin
The New Zealand batsmen's strategy on the second day was to rotate the strike as often as possible and bat with positive intent. India captain Virat Kohli countered that plan well on the third day by setting defensive fields to prevent Kane Williamson and Tom Latham from setting the tempo of the game and upset the rhythm of Jadeja and Ashwin. These tactics paid off and a flurry of wickets brought India right back into the game.
"Our gameplan was to keep runs in check and bowl as many dot balls as possible and not allow the batsmen to rotate strike. This put the batsmen under pressure and they succumbed," Jadeja said after bagging his sixth five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
"The four wickets that we picked up early in the morning were the game-changer. We knew that we needed one breakthrough and that would lead to more wickets in a clutter, as it is difficult for a new batsman to survive on a turning track," the left-arm spinner from Jamnagar said.
India have to thank the two New Zealand left-arm pacers, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner for creating rough patches on the pitch by bowling over the wicket for long spells on the opening day.
Ashwin produced the delivery of the day by pitching one almost on the edge of the pitch, which hit the rough and turned miles to clean up a bewildered Williamson. That delivery not only brought an end to the stubborn resistance of the New Zealand captain but also delivered a psychological blow to the batsmen to follow.
Jadeja misses hat-trick
Thereafter, Jadeja was at his lethal best and went on to pick three wickets in an over. He was on a hat-trick, but was denied by Boult, who tamely defended a tossed up delivery. "Anil Bhai (Kumble) had told us before the start of the day to bowl from wide of the crease and hit the rough to gain maximum out of the pitch. We maintained a tight line and length and with some balls turning and some going straight through. The inexperienced middle and lower order crumbled without much resistance," said Jadeja, revealing the advice he got from the head coach.
There is little doubt that the pitch will deteriorate further and by the time the New Zealanders get to bat for the second time in the afternoon on Sunday, it will be another stern test for them, especially as Ashwin and Jadeja are on a roll after their first innings exploits.
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