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India lose three wickets but consolidate lead
Hosts India lost three wickets, including captain Virat Kohli, in the morning session but took their overall lead past the 300-run mark by reaching 252 for four at lunch on day four of the first cricket Test against New Zealand.
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Resuming the day at 159 for one, India lost both overnight batsmen – Murali Vijay (76) and Cheteshwar Pujara (78) - apart from skipper Virat Kohli (18).
Except for two overs, New Zealand skipper Kane Willamson had his spinners operating from both ends and the trio delivered a wicket each.
At the break Rohit Sharma (12) and Ajinkya Rahane (21) were at the crease with India now leading New Zealand by 308 runs.
Vijay and Pujara batted for about 10 overs together before left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner broke the 133-stand between the duo by trapping the former plumb in front of the wicket.
Vijay played for turn but missed and the ball struck his pad in front of the wicket before hitting the outside edge of his bat. He could add only 12 runs to his overnight total.
Kohli walked in to a boisterous welcome by the crowd and pulled a short one from Ish Sodhi to mid-wicket boundary.
The New Zealand spinners managed to turn a few balls to create some doubts in the minds of the Indian batsmen.
Kohli and Pujara played on merit of the balls and found occasional boundary. It was not easy to find quick boundaries.
Off-break bowler Mark Craig ensured that Kohli does not stay for long at the crease. The home captain attempted a sweep but just managed a top edge that flew to deep mid-wicket where Sodhi took the catch.
Kane Williamson persisted with Santner and Craig for some time before bringing back Sodhi. The leg-break bowler ended Pujara's stay at the crease by having him caught at slips.
The ball pitched outside leg, Pujara tried to defend but it turned sharply, took an edge and went straight to Ross Taylor, who took a low catch.
Craig troubled Rahane a lot and almost had him caught in a space of three balls but he survived. One chance went abegging in leg slip and the other at the short midwicket.
However Rahane was comfortable against Sodhi, driving him nicely on the front foot. Rohit smashed Sodhi for a four and took India's lead to 300-run mark with a single off Craig.
Fifteen minutes before the lunch break, Williamson handed the ball for the first time to paceman Neil Wagner but the Indian batsmen saw him off to go to lunch without anuy further damage.
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