India fights back after New Zealand takes huge lead in third test

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New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra celebrates after scoring a century during the day three of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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India’s Ravindra Jadeja celebrates the dismissal of New Zealand’s Matt Henry during the day three of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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India’s Mohammad Siraj, left, reacts after bowling a delivery to New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra, right, during the day three of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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India’s Mohammad Siraj fields the ball to save a boundary during the day three of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, left, and Rachin Ravindra run between the wickets to score during the day three of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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India’s Ravindra Jadeja, second right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of New Zealand’s Glenn Philips during the day three of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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India’s Ravindra Jadeja, second left, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of New Zealand’s Glenn Philips, right, during the day three of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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New Zealand’s Matt Henry is bowled out by India’s Ravindra Jadeja during the day three of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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Pakistan’s Noman Ali, right, celebrates after taking the wicket of England’s Joe Root, second right, during the fourth day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan put on a fighting 136-run partnership for the third wicket as India fought back on day three of the first test against New Zealand on Friday.

Khan was 70 not out off 78 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes, while Kohli fell at the stroke of stumps with India finishing the day at 231-3 in 49 overs.

This was after New Zealand finished with 402 runs in its first innings for a lead of 356. It was the first time since 2012 that a visiting side took a 200-plus lead in a test on Indian soil.

India, which was bowled out for 46 in the first innings for its lowest test total on home soil, still trails by 125 runs.

Rachin Ravindra scored his second test hundred as he shepherded New Zealand to a tall total.

Ravindra scored 134 runs off 157 balls, and put on 137 runs for the eighth wicket with Tim Southee, who scored 65 runs off 73 balls.

They had put the Indian attack to the sword pre-lunch, as the Black Caps scored 165 runs in the morning session.

Post lunch, New Zealand added another 57 runs to take command of the first test.

Southee was the first to go, caught off Mohammed Siraj who finished with 2-84.

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Kuldeep Yadav took 3-99, and accounted for Ajaz Patel — out lbw for four — as well as Ravindra who was last man out. The centurion hit 13 fours and four sixes in all.

In its second innings, India reached 57-0 at tea with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal putting a solid foundation in better batting conditions.

Sharma raced to his half-century, scoring 52 off 63 balls, hitting eight fours and a six. He was bowled in an unfortunate manner, the ball flicking onto the stumps, as India was down to 95-2. Earlier, Jaiswal had scored 35 off 52 balls with six fours. He was out stumped off Patel.

This brought Kohli and Khan together, who went into attack mode to lead India’s fightback.

Both batters were out for ducks in the first innings but reversed their form to score attacking half-centuries.

Kohli scored 50 off 70 balls, while Khan got there off only 42 deliveries. They put on 100 runs off only 101 balls for the third wicket as India went past 200 before stumps.

As the light went down, spin came on with Glenn Phillips dismissing Kohli off the last ball of the day. The batter went for DRS review, but the umpire’s decision stayed in New Zealand’s favour to end the day.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket