India vs New Zealand 2016: 1st Test, Day 3 – Vijay, Pujara give India a 215-run lead on Day 3

India lead by 215 at stumps on Day 3.

New Delhi:Welcome to our coverage of India vs New Zealand 1st Test, Day 3.

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IND 2nd Innings:

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Over 47 Score 159/1 | (Vijay 64*, Pujara 50*)

That's STUMPS on Day 3! Pujara too completes his 50 as India looks favorite to win the first test match. Sodhi the only Kiwi bowler to pick-up wicket on a hard day for the visitors.

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Over 42 Score 147/1 | (Vijay 63*, Pujara 42*)

Pujara too nears 50 as India's lead cross the 200-run mark. Difficult for New Zeland to force a comeback from here. Sodhi brought back into the attack.

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Over 36 Score 134/1 | (Vijay 58*, Pujara 38*)

Vijay hits first six of the 2nd Indian innings. Clueless New Zealand struggle to find concrete answers to the questions posed by Vijay and Pujara.

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Over 30 Score 111/1 | (Vijay 48*, Pujara 25*)

Vijay nears his second half-century of the match, having already got one in the 1st innings. New Zealand striving hard to break this partnership but all in vain so far.

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Over 22 Score 82/1 | (Vijay 28*, Pujara 16*)

Cheteshwar Pujara begins his innings in T20 style. Probably had some energy drink during Tea time! India still look in charge of the game despite KL Rahul's departure.

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Over 18.1 | Score 52/1 | (Rahul 38, Vijay 14*)

Ish Sodhi picks up the wicket of KL Rahul on a rather lose delivery. Poor from Rahul to not convert a promising start into a big total. It's TEA in Kanpur.

KL Rahul c Taylor b Sodhi 38 (50b)

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Over 15 | Score 46/0 | (Rahul 33*, Vijay 13*)

The duo of Vijay-Rahul nears 50-run partnership as India elegantly progress to give Kane Williamson and co a headache.

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Over 10 | Score 33/0 | (Rahul 24*, Vijay 9*)

No success for Santner and Wagner early on in the game as Indian batsmen begin to play confident strokes.

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Over 5 | Score 12/0 | (Rahul 6*, Vijay 6*)

12 for no loss at the end of first 5 overs. Santner looking dangerous early on in the game.

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New Zealand 1st Innings:

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Over 95.5 | Score 258/9 | (Watling 21, Wagner 0*)

What an over from Sir Ravindra Jadeja, misses out on hat-trick but picks up three wickets. Boult was earlier given not-out by the umpire but Jadeja went for the reviewal and got India its 9th wicket. Ashwin followed up by picking up Watling. Terrific from Indian spinners.

BJ Watling c & b Ashwin 21 (54b)

TA Boult c Sharma b Jadeja 0 (3b)

IS Sodhi lbw b Jadeja 0 (1b)

MD Craig lbw b Jadeja 2 (8b​)

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Over 92 | Score 257/6 | (Watling 17*, Craig 1*)

Mitchell Santner the latest Kiwi batsman to be trapped in Indian spinners' web. R. Ashwin picks up his third wicket of the day as India progress on wrapping up the visitors before Tea.

MJ Santner c Saha b Ashwin 32 (107b)

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12:15 PM IST: Play resumes in Kanpur!

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Over 85 | Score 238/5 | (Santner 28*, Watling 3*)

It's Lunch at the Green Park stadium in Kanpur. New Zealand will look to bat through the whole day today to boost their chances of winning this match but India will be hoping to not let the Kiwis play beyond today to enable their chances of testing them on Day 5.

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Over 80 | Score 220/5 | (Santner 17*, Watling 0*)

Sir Ravindra Jadeja strikes again! Picks up the dangerous looking Luke Ronchi on 38. Bradley-John Watling the new batsman to join in. Need to put pressure from the start on the new man!

L Ronchi lbw b Jadeja 38 (83b)

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Over 70 | Score 201/4 | (Ronchi 27*, Santner 10*)

Umesh Yadav stars his spell on Day 3 as Virat Kohli look to test pace bowling options. Ronchi and Santner have looked fairly untroubled since beginning.

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Over 64 | Score 186/4 | (Ronchi 14*, Santner 8*)

New boys on crease, Ronchi & Santner reading the Indian spinners better than their departed counterparts. 34 runs in the session so far.

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Over 57 | Score 171/4 | (Ronchi 07*, Santner 0*)

Double blow for New Zealand as both Ross Taylor and skipper Williamson departs - Jadeja and Ashwin strike respectively. Spinners getting good turn in Kanpur on Day 3.

KS Williamson b Ashwin 75 (137b)

LRPL Taylor lbw b Jadeja 0 (2b​)

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Over 52 | Score 159/2 | (Williamson 70*, Taylor 0*)

Pressure was mounting on the New Zealand batsman as India bowled two consecutive maiden overs before Ravichandran Ashwin trapped Tom Latham in front of the wickets and the umpire had no histation in giving him LBW out.

TWM Latham lbw b Ashwin 58 (151b)

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Over 50 | Score 159/1 | (Latham 58*, Williamson 70*)

India begin proceedings with spin-attack from both ends early on Day 3 - Ashwin and Jadeja hope to get some turn and bounce against the well-settled Kiwi batsmen.

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Over 47 | Score 152/1 | (Latham 56*, Williamson 65*)

Ravichandran Ashwin begins India's charge on Day 3 as the hosts look to make amends.

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09:15 AM IST: Play gets underway!

Indians were clearly second best on Day 2 with Kane Williamson and his men keeping the Indian bowlers struggling for wickets despite the last session being washed out due to rain.

The visiting Kiwis have scored 152 runs for the loss of just one wicket - Tom Latham (56) and Kane Williamson (65) – will resume play on Day 3 in an attempt to continue their 115-run stand for the second wicket.

Earlier on Friday, India came close to clinching their second wicket after Martin Guptil (21). In the 37th over, Tom Latham tried to sweep a ball bowled by Ravindra Jadeja, but hit the ball straight on his own shoe - which went straight to KL Rahul at short leg. The umpire wasn't convinced as he referred the decision to third umpire.

The replays suggested that while there was no impact between the ball and the pitch, since Rahul took it in the second attempt, the ball deflected out of his hands and hit the strap of his helmet before he grabbed it completely.

It was a rare odd day for the spin duo of Jadeja and Ashwin, who couldn't manage a single wicket despite bowling 31 overs together.

#TeamIndia spinners @ashwinravi99 and @imjadeja in conversation ahead of Day 3 action #INDvNZ @Paytm Test Cricket pic.twitter.com/Xhxqpk5YGO — BCCI (@BCCI) September 24, 2016

Monsoon rains are expected to return on the third day of the match as well an will likely frustrate spectators, defying them off spectular action between India and New Zealand.

With the rains more likely to occur in the morning hours than afternoon, the progress of the game will likely be hindered on third day too. Whether this will turn in India’s favour or not, is something remains to be seen.

Take a look at the revised session timings for the remainder of the Paytm First Test match. Play to start at 9.15 AM IST pic.twitter.com/AjbKw1Zeiw — BCCI (@BCCI) September 23, 2016