From here only one team can win this match with two days and two sessions remaining.
Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara humiliated New Zealand’s injuries with a 107-run opening stand as India took complete control of the second Test at 142 for 2 at lunch on the third day in Mumbai.
India’s overall lead is now a massive 405 runs and from here only one team can win the game with two days and two sessions to spare.
At the break, Shubman Gill, who did not come for the opening after being hit on the wrist during New Zealand’s innings, was batting with Virat Kohli (11) on 17.
Agarwal (62 off 109 balls) and Pujara (47 off 96 balls) made Ejaz Patel (2/77) quite ordinary, though he now has a dozen wickets in his kitty.
But before that, Agarwal and Pujara hit boundaries in the morning session to put the pressure back on the bowlers.
Pujara really made a statement as he twice stepped up for a similar flying delivery and hit it through mid-wicket. It was the ball that gave him the yorker in the first innings but he looked very comfortable in the second innings.
Agarwal was also in fine touch as he completed his second half-century of the match with a six over extra cover off Patel and then hit another boundary in the same area.
For a bowler, who already has 12 wickets in the match, Patel will feel it is a trivial insult that Agarwal hit him for a total of five sixes and even a defensive batsman like Pujara took him to the max.
Agarwal was looking good for his second century of the game, but trying to hit another six off Patel, he could not reach the pitch of the delivery and Will Young was caught comfortably at long off.
It was the best opportunity for Pujara to score a half-century and build up his confidence ahead of the South Africa tour.
He survived a strong DRS appeal, but then a delivery that was slightly fuller and twisted found his outside edge in the safe hands of slip fielder Ross Taylor.
score board
India 1st innings: 325
New Zealand first innings: 62
India 2nd Innings: Mayank Agarwalc Will Young b Ejaz Patel 62; Cheteshwar Pujarac Ross Taylor b Ejaz Patel 47; Shubman Gill batting 17; Virat Kohli batting 11. Extras: (B-2, LB-3) 5
Total: 142/2 in 46 overs
Fall of wickets: 1-107, 2-115
New Zealand Bowling: Tim Southee 13-2-31-0, Ejaz Patel 21-2-77-2, Kyle Jamieson 8-2-15-0, William Somerville 2-0-9-0, Rachin Ravindra 2-0-5-0
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