Sarfaraz Khan gave a fiery send-off to Rachin Ravindra on Day 1 of the third Test match between India and New Zealand in Mumbai on Friday. Rachin has been a top performer for New Zealand with the bat and he was one of the big reasons behind the visitors winning both Tests in the series. During the first session of Day 1, Rachin was left bamboozled by a delivery from Washington Sundar that crashed into his stumps. Sarfaraz, who was fielding at the silly point position, celebrated wildly after the dismissal and even taunted Ravindra before the batter made his way back to the dressing room.
Washington Sundar drifted a ball from around the wicket to the left-hander. The ball pitched around off and turned just enough to beat the outside edge of Ravindra’s forward defense and clipped the off stump. Rachin Ravindra was left shellshocked after the dismissal as Sarfaraz Khan was seen mocking him from the square leg position. It was a great ball from Sundar who got the big wicket of Ravindra for the third time in the series.
Spinner Washington Sundar once again shined, taking two wickets as New Zealand ended the first session of the third Test against India at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium having lost three wickets.
At the end of the first session, NZ was 92/3, with Will Young (38*) and Daryl Mitchell (11*) unbeaten.
Electing to bat first, New Zealand was off to a poor start as pacer Akash Deep trapped Devon Conway leg-before-wicket for four runs in 11 balls. NZ was 15/1 in 3.2 overs.
Skipper Tom Latham and Will Young took the Kiwis forward. A fine sweep shot against Washington Sundar by Latham helped Kiwis reach the 50-run mark in 13.4 overs.
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The partnership between Latham and Young came to an end with Sundar cleaning up Latham’s off-stump for 28 in 44 balls, with three fours. NZ was 59/2 in 16 overs.
The off-stump of Rachin Ravindra took the beating as Sundar got his second wicket, dismissing the in-form batter for just five runs. NZ was 72/3 in 20 overs.
Young was joined by Daryl Mitchell and they took NZ through remainder of the session without any loss of wickets.
NZ captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the third and final Test of the series on Friday.
India will be looking to save their pride as they take on the Kiwis at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. With the hosts being 0-2 down in the three-match series and having endured their first series loss in Tests at home in 12 years, they will be aiming to play out of their skins in order to avoid an embarrassing whitewash.
Latham also said that Mitchell Santner will miss out on the match due to a side strain while Matt Henry will come in for Tim Southee.
For India, Mohammed Siraj comes in for an unwell Jasprit Bumrah.
(With ANI inputs)
