BENGALURU: Sarfaraz Khan’s exceptional 150 runs and Rishabh Pant’s 99 guided India to 438 with the loss of six wickets at the end of session two on Day 4 of the first Test against New Zealand at Chennai’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
The second session on Day 4 of the three-match series resumed with India at 344/3, with Sarfaraz and Pant unbeaten with scores of 125(154) and 53(56), respectively. With the deficit now reduced to just 12 runs.
Both the batters brought up the 350-run mark for the side in the 72nd over. In the 73rd over, the hosts took the lead over the Blackcaps. Four overs latter, both the batters completed their 150-run partnership.
Sarfaraz touched the 150-run mark in the 84th over as he took a single on the bowling of right-arm seamer Matt Henry with the help of 18 fours and three sixes inhis innings. In the next over, he was sent back to the pavillion after scoring 150 runs.
Following the dismissal of Sarfaraz, experienced campaigner KL Rahul came in the middle to bat along with Pant. Pant was dismissed next in the 89th over at 99 on the bowling of right-arm seamer William ORourkee. His runs came at a strike rate of 94.29 with the help of nine boundaries and five maximums in his innings.
After the wicketkeeper-batter’s wicket, left-hand batter Ravindra Jadeja came out to bat. Rahul and Jadeja put on a partnership of five runs before Rahul was dismssed at the stroke of tea after scoring 12 runs with two fours.
Earlier in the day, with dark clouds hovering over the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Sarfaraz and Pant became the beacon of inspiration and hope for the hosts.Sarfaraz didn’t waste time to start India’s quest to reduce the massive 125-run run trail. In the second over of the day, he went after William ORourke and smashed him for two boundaries with audacious attempts.
The partnership kept growing stronger, with Sarfaraz heavily relying on late cuts to pile up runs on the board. With pacers proving to be fruitless with each passing over, Sarfaraz took a single and completed his century. The moment he finished the single, Sarfaraz yelled and punched the air in ecstacy to celebrate the landmark moment.
With Pant and Sarfaraz dominating New Zealand’s pacers, skipper Tom Latham was quick to realise the threat and introduce spinners.Despite the introduction of spinners, Pant and Sarfaraz were not daunted. Pant occasionally smoked the ball into the stands, while Sarfaraz stuck to dealing in fours.
Pant drilled the ball towards the boundary rope to complete his 18th Test fifty. With the trail reduced to just 12 runs, rain came in to take away India’s momentum. With the drizzle getting heavy, lunch was declared despite a couple of overs left.
Brief score: India 46 & 438/6 (Sarfaraz Khan 150, Rishabh Pant 99; Ajaz Patel 2-100) vs New Zealand 402 (Rachin Ravindra 134, Tim Southee 65, Devon Conway 91; Ravindra Jadeja 3/72). (ANI)