Gill, Pant fight back for India in third Test against NZ

India`s Rishabh Pant (L) and Shubman Gill run between the wickets during the second day of the third and final Test (Pic: AFP)

Overnight batsmen Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant counter-attacked with half-centuries as India closed in on New Zealand's first-innings 235 on day two of the third Test on Saturday.

India were 195-5, trailing by 40 runs, when lunch was called a few minutes early because of an issue with an overhead television camera at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Gill, on 70, and Ravindra Jadeja, on 10, were batting at the break on the spin-friendly pitch. Pant smashed 60 off 59 balls with eight fours and two sixes in a 96-run stand with Gill before being trapped lbw by leg-spinner Ish Sodhi.

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Resuming on 86-4, the batsmen came out aggressively as India look to avoid an embarrassing 3-0 series whitewash on home soil. The left-handed Pant smashed Mumbai-born New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel for three boundaries in the opening over.

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Gill hit a four off Ajaz but survived a reprieve on 45 by substitute fielder Mark Chapman, who failed to hang on to a high catch off Glenn Phillips' bowling while running in from long-on. Gill reached his fifty with a single and Pant kept up the attack with regular boundaries to raise his half-ton in 36 balls.

Matt Henry dropped Pant on 53 but the spill -- again off Phillips -- did not ultimately prove costly. India had begun their reply strongly on day one but slipped from 78-1 to 84-4 in a final 10 minutes of mayhem that ended with Virat Kohli run out for four while attempting a cheeky single. The Black Caps sealed their first-ever Test series win in India with victory in the second Test at Pune.

(With inputs from agencies)