Team India has a massive uphill task that awaits them on the final day’s play for the opening Test between India and New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.
After being bundled out for just 46 runs in the first innings, the hosts came back stronger in their second batting innings where they smashed 462 runs thanks to the brilliant efforts of Sarfaraz Khan (150), Rishabh Pant (99), Virat Kohli (70) and Rohit Sharma (52) respectively to help put up a fight.
But New Zealand, after taking the second new ball, managed to find their groove with Matt Henry taking a five-wicket-haul and William O’Rourke taking four wickets as well.
India would have to achieve something highly unlikely, to secure a win in the opening Test at Bengaluru. The Indian team has to defend 107 runs by picking up all 10 wickets in the final day’s play.
Statistics show that the lowest target defended by the Indian team was against Australia in the 2004 Test that took place at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai where India defended a total of 107 runs. India’s spin trio of Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble and Murali Kartik were the standout performers in that game where they picked up 5,6 and 7 wickets respectively to help snatch the win.
The Indian team would have to replicate the heroics of 2004 should they be able to take a series lead. Just as Jasprit Bumrah was finding his groove with the new ball, bad light resulted in the game being stopped much to the displeasure of Virat Kohli and Rohit. Not too long after, rain started pouring in and stumps were eventually called after just four deliveries into the final innings.
The Indian team wanted to get a wicket or two just to make their lives easier on the final day but that was not possible. But the Indian bowling attack certainly has the weapons to ensure that an unlikely victory is on the cards, it is just a matter of whether the side can get the job done.
The fifth and final day’s play is set to begin at 9:15 PM (IST) and the onus will be on the Bumrah-led bowling attack to hopefully get the wickets rolling as early as possible.
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