Ravindra Jadeja’s Triple Strike Gives India the Edge on Day 1 of the Mumbai Test Against New Zealand
Ravindra Jadeja’s masterful bowling display (3-53) handed India a slight upper hand on the opening day of the third Test match against New Zealand in Mumbai. During the post-lunch session, the left-arm spinner’s sharp, strategic spells proved pivotal as he claimed three key wickets. Among his victims was the well-set Will Young (71), who appeared poised for a significant score before Jadeja disrupted New Zealand’s innings by dismissing Tom Blundell for a duck and Glenn Phillips for 17. Despite Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 53, New Zealand’s innings faltered as only the tail-enders remained to support him on a pitch that increasingly favoured spinners, reports Live Cricket Score.
New Zealand’s Solid Start and India’s Tactical Response
The morning session saw Young and Mitchell navigate the first hour skillfully, handling the occasional tricky delivery with composure. Their approach featured precise footwork and deft handling of spin, including effective sweep shots. However, as the post-lunch session progressed, the pitch began to offer more pronounced turn and bounce—conditions that Jadeja leveraged with remarkable precision.
Jadeja’s turning point came when he bowled Young with a brilliant delivery that drifted in, spun sharply, and bounced to catch the edge. Another soon followed this breakthrough as Blundell fell in the same over, playing defensively to a ball that pitched on leg stump and sharply turned to dislodge the off bail.
Phillips’ Resistance Cut Short and Jadeja’s Milestone Moment
Glenn Phillips briefly resisted alongside Mitchell but succumbed to Jadeja’s signature arm-ball, which skidded through and clipped leg stump. This dismissal marked a historic moment for Jadeja, as he climbed into the top-five list of Indian bowlers with the most Test wickets, surpassing Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma’s tally of 311 wickets.
Challenges Ahead for New Zealand
With the pitch increasingly aiding spin, New Zealand faces an uphill task in extending their total. The surface’s unpredictable behaviour poses a significant challenge for their lower order, suggesting that batting could become progressively tricky over the next few days. The Kiwis will aim to capitalize on Mitchell’s resilience and eke out as many runs as possible to give their bowlers a fighting chance in what promises to be an engaging contest.
Day 1 Summary
Brief scores: New Zealand 192-6 (Will Young 71, Daryl Mitchell 53*; Ravindra Jadeja 3-53, Washington Sundar 2-26) vs India.
India’s dominant performance, led by Jadeja’s exceptional spell, has set the stage for an intriguing continuation of the Test match as the spinners tighten their grip on the game.
