India vs New Zealand, 2nd Test, Day 3 — As it happened...

A brilliant day of Test cricket from Eden Gardens. India seemed ton have lost the plot with top order collapsing, but Rohit Sharma arrived with a brilliant innings of 82 to give India possibly the decisive lead before bad light forced the close of play, some 13 overs early.

India now lead New Zealand by 339 runs, with two wickets remaining, and two day's play left in the match.

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Over 63.2 | Score 227/8 (Saha 38; Bhuvneshwar 8)

Early end to day's play thanks to bad light. At Stumps, India have a taken a complete control with Rohit Sharma leading the charge at his favourite ground.

India now lead New Zealand by 339 runs with two wickets remaining.

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Over 61 | Score 215/8 (Saha 35; Bhuvneshwar 0)

A brilliant innings came to an end as Rohit Sharma ended up offering a catch to Kiwi wicket-keeper Luke Ronchi off the bowling Mitchell Santner.

WICKET: Rohit Sharma c Luke Ronchi b Mitchell Santner 82 (132b)

That happened off the second ball of the 61st over. Then came Ravindra Jadeja, and hit a six off the second ball he faced. But ended up losing his wicket in the next ball.

WICKET: Ravindra Jadeja c sub (James Neesham) b Mitchell Santner 6 (4b)

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Over 57 | Score 203/6 (Sharma 77; Saha 34)

At one time, India were struggling with the match precariously hanging in balance. But the Rohit Sharma-Wriddhiman Saha stand has effectively change the course, in India's favour.

In the last ten overs, India have scored 42 runs and also moved past 200-run mark, and gaining a lead of 315 runs with over two days play left in the match.

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Over 50 | Score 171/6 (Sharma 53; Saha 26)

India have consolidated further with a 65-run stand between Rohit Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha. In the process, Rohit scored his 6th Test fifty.

India's lead in the second innings is now 283. 27 overs more to play today.

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Over 45 | Score 157/6 | (Sharma 46*, Saha 19*)

The Sharma-Saha pair continues to frustrate the Kiwis. The partnership is now worth 51 runs. Rohit is four-runs short of his fifty. Considering the circumstances, it's a superb innings from Hitman. Saha had hit a fifty in the first innings and he is looking keen to smash another one at the Eden Gardens. India now lead by 169 runs.

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Over 40 | Score 143/6 | (Sharma 36*, Saha 17*)

After tea, these two have batted with great amount of responsibility. Rohit, in particular, have taken the onus of keeping the scoreboard ticking. These two have added 37 runs for the seventh wicket partnership now. India now lead by 255 runs with four wickets remaining.

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Over 31 | Score 110/6 | (Sharma 20*, Saha 4*)

TEA: R Ashwin, one of India's most improved batsmen, was the next one to perished off Mitchell Santner's bowling. Ashwin wasn't convinced with the decision as he looked at his bat while walking off the field. The replays however suggested that the ball had hit the pad first and then the bat. Saha is the next man in and here is another opportunity for him to show why he deserves to be a regular member of the Indian team more than any other wicketkeeper. Rohit Sharma is unbeaten on 20 and it would be great from his perspective if he can go to hit another fifty from here.

R Ashwin lbw b Santner 5 (23b)

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Over 25 | Score 93/5 | (Sharma 15*, Ashwin 1*)

After playing a fine knock of 45 runs, skipper Virat Kohli perished a ball from Trent Boult that kept very low and hit him on the pads. The umpire had no doubt there and the wicket also ended 48-run stand for the fifth wicket. Rohit is looking determined to play a crucial knock here, and with Ashwin at the other end, this could be another decent partnership for India. India now lead by 205 runs with five wickets remaining.

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Over 20 | Score 89/4 | (Kohli 44*, Sharma 14*)

Cricket is a beautiful game when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are the two set batsman at the crease. Kohli is looking in rhythm where he has already smashed seven boundaries. The momentum is slowly shifting towards India. Rohit is yet to get into his groove, and the Kiwis would want to pick his wicket as soon as possible.

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Over 14 | Score 46/4 | (Kohli 14*, Sharma 2*)

India have lost two more wickets and Kiwi pacers have brought them back in the match. Dhawan failed to read a sharp inswinger from Boult which hit his pads in front of the wicket. Rahane perished off a soft dismissal when he holed a short ball from Henry to deep square leg. Kohli has played some nice strokes and his team desperately needs a big knock from him today. Rohit Sharma is the new man in and he too will have to play a big knock in order to cement his place for the remainder of the series. Kiwi pacers deserve all the credit as they have bowled their heart out today.

AM Rahane c Boult b Henry 1 (5b)

S Dhawan lbw b Boult 17 (32b)

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Over 8 | Score 24/2 | (Dhawan 12*, Kohli 0*)

Matt Henry struck early for the Kiwis again as he removed Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara in quick succession. Vijay was right adjudged out but the delivery which hit Pujara on the pads was clearly missing the leg-stump. Despite battling some pain early in the innings, Dhawan is still at the crease. Kohli is the new man in. After a quite series so far, India need their skipper to step up his performance with a captain's knock today.

CA Pujara lbw b Henry 4 (7b)

M Vijay c Guptill b Henry 7 (15b)

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Over 5 | Score 12/0 | (Vijay 7*, Dhawan 4*)

LUNCH: Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan have made sure India don't lose a wicket before lunch. Those five overs were painful for Dhawan, as he was hit on the thumb twice by the pacers. Boult has been testing the left-hander with a barrage of bouncers ever since he was hit on the thumb.

M Vijay c Guptill b Henry 7 (15b)

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Over 53 | Score 204/10 | (Boult 6*)

Shami picked his third wicket of the match as he pinned Wagner right in front of the wicket. Both Boult and Wagner smashed a six each to add some more valuable runs to the Kiwi innings. India now have a healthy 112-run lead in first innings.

N Wagner lbw b Mohammed Shami 10 (18b)

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Over 51 | Score 187/9 | (Boult 0*, Wagner 1*)

Mohammed Shami picked his second wicket of the match when Batling, who had been batting well, was trapped in front of the wicket. Earlier, Ashwin scalped Patel's wicket in his first over of the day. Patel went for a big shot first ball and was caught easily by Shami. Trent Boult and Neil Wagner are the two new men at the crease.

BJ Watling lbw b Mohammed Shami 25 (67b)

JS Patel c Mohammed Shami b Ashwin 47 (47b)

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Over 46 | Score 182/7 | (Watling 21*, Patel 47*)

Some drama took place in the 46th over of the innings. Jeetan Patel hit Jadeja for two boundaries. But the spinner seemed to have the last laugh as he trapped Patel in front of the wicket. But the replays suggested it was a frontfoot no-ball and Patel got a reprieve. These two have so far added 54 runs for the eighth wicket and are looking comfortable at the crease now.

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Over 43.2 | Score 163/7 | (Watling 17*, Patel 35*)

Rain has interrupted the proceedings once again. The players are off the field and the ground has been covered as well. 

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Over 40 | Score 157/7 | (Watling 14*, Patel 32*)

Watling and Patel have made a confident start to the day so far. Patel, in particular, has been punishing the loose deliveries. India are still searching for their first breakthrough of the third day. Jadeja was introduced in the attack as well in which Patel hit him for two boundaries.

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Over 36 | Score 137/7 | (Watling 12*, Patel 14*)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar started the proceedings for India on Day 3 and Patel hit him past the diving fielder at mid-off for a boundary. There was a close caught behind appeal off Mohammed Shami's bowling. Indian fielders are throwing themselves on the field and they are desperate not to give too many runs in the morning session.

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Much of the played was washed out due to rain on Day 2 and the hosts would be looking to bowl the visitors out soon in the first session on Day 3.

In the absence of skipper Kane Williamson, none of the New Zealand batsmen could put up a fight. In reply to India's 316, Kiwis found Bhuvneshwar Kumar too hot to handle as he scalped five wickets.

Barring the 62-run stand for the fourth wicket between Ross Taylor (36) and Luke Ronchi (35), there was nothing positive to take from Day 2 of the match for the Kiwis.

The Indians, resuming at 239/7, produced a purposeful batting performance in the morning session with Wriddhiman Saha (54 not out) scoring his third Test half-century to help the team reach 316 all out in 104.5 overs.

In reply, the Kiwis were tottering at 128/7, still 188 runs behind and facing the prospect of another big defeat after the 197-run drubbing in the opening Test in Kanpur.

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Kolkata: Live score and lives updates from Day 3 of the second Test match between India and New Zealand at Eden Gardens. Virat Kohli and his men's were in driver's seat on Day 2, after the Kiwis were left wobbling at 128/7, trailing by 188 runs with 3 wickets remaining in the 1st innings. (LIVE SCORECARD | Day 2 - As it happened)