Cricket: India six wickets away from winning first Test against New Zealand at Kanpur
Left with a record target of 434, the Kiwis got off to a rocky start with Ravichandran Ashwin sending the three openers back to the pavilion early in the day.
India need just six wickets to win the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur. Ending Day 1 at 93/4 with Luke Ronchi (38) and Mitchell Santner (8) at the crease, New Zealand need 341 runs to win.
The Indian side declared its second innings at 377/5 after Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja smashed an unbeaten 100-run partnership. The duo took India's lead to more than 400, leaving the Kiwis with a world record target of 434 runs to bad the first Test.
New Zealand struggled to start their innings as spinner Ravichandran Ashwin sent the top three batsmen back to the pavilion with 43 runs on the board. Openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham were sent back within a span of three runs. Ashwin also took the prized wicket of captain Kane Williamson at 25, with the black caps failing to read his line or length at Green Park stadium. Ross Taylor was run out for 17 by Umesh Yadav.
With Williamson's wicket, Ashwin became the second fastest bowler in Test cricket to take 200 wickets, achieving the ranking in just 37 matches. Australia's Clarrie Grimmett leads the list at 36 Test matches. Ashwin ended the day at 3/68.