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Rahul Dravid scored 191 and MS Dhoni finally got good with a breezy 98 as India piled up 566 for 8 before declaring their first innings in the third and final Test at Nagpur. New Zealand facing a heavy deficit of 373 runs lost Tim McIntosh in the 11 overs of their second innings before Stumps on Day 3.
New Zealand pegged back India with three quick wickets this morning and looked like keeping the Indian lead to less than 150. Andy McKay, the debutant left arm pacer gave a superb opening for the visitors by having Sachin Tendulkar (61 from 129 balls with 8 fours) nicking a rising delivery to the keeper. Around five overs later, VVS Laxman (12) got bowled by a late inswinger from Chris Martin which defeated his flick shot. And a while after that, Suresh Raina (3) who was committed too early on the frontfoot to a Vettori delivery got an inside edge unable to handle the extra bounce and sharp turn to get caught at short leg.
India all of a sudden found itself at 328 for 5 in 115 overs when Skipper MS Dhoni under pressure of not performing with the bat joined a well set Rahul Dravid. MS Dhoni batted the way he did when he first arrived in the international circuit, going berserk at the bowling and in no time smashed 35 with 6 fours by lunch while Dravid got to his 31st Test century. India went to lunch at 386 for 5 with the lead at 193 runs.
Both Dravid and Dhoni batted out the entire afternoon session to stretch the lead to 317 runs. Dhoni moved closer towards a century needing only five more runs while Dravid got to 166. India went to Tea at 510 for 5 in 145 overs. There was huge disappointment for both these batsmen as they failed to accomplish their milestones after Tea. Dhoni due to cramps got to a stage where he could hardly move around and with just two more runs for his century, he patted a simple return catch to a tossed up delivery from Vettori. Dhoni’s 98 came in 156 balls with 12 fours and a six and his partnership for the 6th wicket with Dravid was 193 runs!
After Dhoni’s exit, Rahul Dravid collected a few boundaries to quickly get into the 190s in the company of Harbhajan Singh. Against the run of play, Dravid charged down the track to play the big lofted shot intended to go for a six over long on off Williamson but he could only hole out to Guptill well inside the boundary. Dravid finished with 191 which came in 396 balls with 21 fours. Harbhajan Singh departed after sometime scoring a 47-ball 20 which included a six before miscuing a big shot off Chris Martin towards covers. India declared its innings after sometime giving MS Dhoni a bit of rest to recover for his wicket keeping duties. The Indian innings lasted as many as 165 overs with Daniel Vettori forced to bowl 58 of those!
In the 11 overs before the close of play, Harbhajan Singh got rid of Tim McIntosh who went back to a full length skidding top spinner to be hit on the pad plumb infront. Harbhajan had bowled it from round the sticks to get the lbw decision in his favour. At Stumps, New Zealand have Brendon McCullum on 15* (from 26 balls) with night watchman Gareth Hopkins to take the score to 24 for 1.