India vs New Zealand Highlights, 2nd Test, Day 3: NZ 140/5 at Stumps in chase of 540; Ashwin bags 3-for, 60 for Mitchell

This is all we have for you today from an entertaining Day 3. Thank you so much for joining us. We will be back tomorrow morning and unless a miracle takes place, you can expect India to wrap up the game and the match very quickly. We will see you again tomorrow morning. Until then, it's goodbye.

Another day that belonged to India. They have been dominant all day, taking the honours of all three sessions. It began with Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara stitching a 100-run opening stand. They made 62 and 47, respectively, before Shubman Gill (47) and Virat Kohli (36) continued on the momentum. Rachin Ravindra (3 wickets) and Ajaz Patel (4) then came back strong and eventually, with Axar Patel unbeaten on 41, Kohli declared at 276/7.

In response, R Ashwin bagged three wickets to leave NZ reeling at 55/3. Tom Latham scored 6, while Will Young and Ross Taylor could only manage 20 and 6, respectively. Then, Daryl Mitchell (60) and Henry Nicholls stitched a crucial 73-run stand before Mitchell threw his wicket off Axar Patel. Nicholls remained unbeaten on 36 and and Rachin Ravindra on 2 as NZ ended the day at 140/5

R Ashwin bowled the final over of the day. 
Henry Nicholls (36*) and Rachin Ravindra (2*) take NZ to 140/5 after 45 overs. The Blacks Caps still need 400 runs to win

NZ are 140/5 after 43 overs. 2 more overs to go

CUT, LUCK, AND 4! The ball takes off after pitching on good length. Nicholls goes for a cut but the steep bounce comes off the edge and flies over the slip fielder for 4.

NZ are 138/5 after 41 overs.

5 overs left and we have 20-odd minutes to go

Rachin Ravindra creams the last ball of the over straight to Axar Patel at mid-off.

NZ are 134/5, need 406 more runs to win

New Zealand are 130/5 after 38 overs.

NZ need 410 more runs to win. India need 5 more wickets

OUT! RUN OUT! What happened there? Blundell looks to take a single through mi-off. He took off immediately but Nicholls didn't move. Blundell scampered back but to no use. The ball straight to Bharat, who did well to release a quick, acccurate through to Saha. And the Bengal stumper did the rest

He's gone for a duck.

NZ are 129/5 after 37 overs

SIX! Daryl Mitchell is enjoying himself out there. As Ajit Agarkar says in the comm box, he has been the highlight of htis inngs. Floated up from Axar and Mitchell gets to the pitch of the ball and tonks the ball for a 6 over long on

OUT! one shot too many. He's gone. Skips down the pitch, goes for a huge hoick of long off. But doesn't time and it ball goes into the hands of Jayant Yadav at deep cover.

NZ are 129/4 after 35 overs.

FOUR! Reverse sweeps Axar Patel for 4.

NZ are 121-3 after 33 overs.

BEATEN! How's that missed the off stump? An absolute peach of a ball from Ashwin. Pitches on off stump line, turns away from left-hander Nicholls ever so slightly, beats the outside edge and also the off stump.

NZ are 114/3 after 32 overs.

FOUR! Mitchell collects four through third man

FOUR AND THAT'S HIS FIFTY! He clips the ball off his pads to collect four through fine leg

NZ are 109/3 after 30 overs. Their 50-run stand is also up

FOUR! Jayant strays down leg and the ball races down to the fine leg fence. Umpire gives it four leg-byes but the replay showed that the ball clipped Daryl Mitchell's bat. He should but will not get those runs.

FOUR! THIS TIME, THERE IS NO DOUBT! Floated around off stump from Jayant Yadav and Mitchell brings out the reverse sweep and collects 4 through deep backward point

MISSED STUMPING! SAHA, who barely sets a foot wrong with gloves on, has let this one go. Yadav beats Nicholls on the flight and the left-hander was off-balance and moving forward when the ball reached Saha's gloves.

BUT IT'S A NO-BALL so Saha will be a relieved man.

FOUR! Short and straight from Yadav and Nicholls muscles the ball off his backfoot through deep mid-wicket for 4.

NZ are 101-3 after 29 overs.

A tidy over from Umesh Yadav, gives away just one run.

NZ are 87/3, need 453 runs to win

New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell takes charge and is trying to build the rescue act for New Zealand. He finishes Umesh Yadav's previous over with a boundary, taking his individual score to 38. Meanwhile, five runs come off the over. NZ: 86/3 

India get Jayant Yadav back into the attack and the spinner starts with a two-run over. NZ: 81-3

A huge appeal for caught-behind against Daryl Mitchell by Umesh Yadav and the captain. However, the wicket-keeper was not very sure. India still went for the review and TV replay confirms there was no edge involved. NZ: 78-3 

Umesh Yadav bowls his first over of the innings. The pacer starts off with a five-run over as New Zealand reach 75/3. Daryl Mitchell is playing on 30, his partner Nicholls is on 9. 

Henry Nicholls and Daryl Mitchell deal in singles and fetch three runs from the previous over bowled by Ashwin. NZ: 70-3 

So far the match is hanging in India's favour as New Zealand go three down with just 67 on the board. Daryl Mitchell has stayed in the middle for 45 balls, in which he has scored 27 runs. Henry Nicholls is the new man in and he is playing on 4. 

DRS saves Daryl Mitchell after he is given out LBW by the umpire off Ashwin's bowling. The batter was sure of an inside edge and so was the case. 

Plenty happening in the middle and things don't look good for the visitors. The previous over by Axar Patel saw Daryl Mitchell hitting the spinner for a six and a single but it also included a huge LBW appeal against Henry Nicholls. NZ: 63-3

Ross Taylor bites the dust, plays a rash shot and gets a top edge. The ball balloons up in the air before settling down in Wriddhiman Saha's gloves. Ashwin gets his third from the innings as Ross Taylor is dismissed on 6. NZ: 56/3 | need 485 runs to win 

4 - R Ashwin (2015, 2016, 2017, 2021)*

3 - Anil Kumble (1999, 2004, 2006)

3 - Harbhajan Singh (2001, 2002, 2008)

2 - Kapil Dev (1979, 1983)