3 key questions that need to be answered after Day 3 of the 2nd IND vs NZ Test
India are only five wickets away from victory in the second Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The hosts have reduced the Kiwis to 140/5 in the final innings of the match, with a daunting target of 540 practically impossible to achieve.
India are on their way to seal 16 valuable World Test Championship points and an important home series win, while New Zealand will go back to the drawing board to find out how things have gone so horribly wrong after their resilient performance in Kanpur.
Here are three key questions that need to be answered after Day 3 of the second Test between India and New Zealand.
#3 What's going on with Virat Kohli's batting?
Virat Kohli walked into bat at his favorite No. 4 position on Day 3 of the second Test, with no pressure on his shoulders due to a massive lead. However, while the Indian skipper hung around for 84 balls, he wasn't anywhere near his fluent best.
After being dismissed for a duck in the first innings in controversial fashion, Kohli had the perfect opportunity to notch up some easy runs and play himself back into form. But the 33-year-old was frequently beaten on the outside edge by Ajaz Patel and hit only one four and one six before a nothing ball from Rachin Ravindra saw him chop on.
Kohli's Test average is now only a shade above 50, having witnessed a tragic drop since the start of 2020. As others like Axar Patel and Cheteshwar Pujara made the most of their chances on Day 3, Kohli failed to deliver - something that is scarily becoming the norm.
#2 Why did New Zealand play William Somerville ahead of Neil Wagner?
William Somerville hasn't picked up a wicket yet in the series. The off-spinner, who has had enough assistance from conditions in Mumbai and Kanpur, has barely threatened the Indian batters. It would be difficult to recollect instances where he has even deceived them in flight or off the pitch.
Why did New Zealand persist with Somerville after seeing how ineffective he was in Kanpur? The 37-year-old has offered nothing to the Blackcaps attack that has been carried by Ajaz Patel in Mumbai, and an aggressive left-arm pacer in Neil Wagner would've been a handful for India. Even Tim Southee, who isn't known for his short-pitched prowess, had the Indian batters in some discomfort on Day 3.
Rachin Ravindra showed that he is a capable supporting spinner too, adding weight to the question of Wagner's strange exclusion.
#1 Is Axar Patel on his way to replace Ravindra Jadeja as India's premier left-arm spinning all-rounder?
Axar Patel has had a dream start to his Test career and is slowly making waves in other formats as well. Does the left-arm spinner stand a real chance of leapfrogging Ravindra Jadeja in the pecking order of India's best all-rounders?
The one thing holding Axar back has been his batting, but he has made significant strides towards establishing himself as a true all-rounder in Mumbai. After stroking a calm fifty in the first innings, the 27-year-old went on the offensive in the second essay and smashed an unbeaten 41.
Whenever Jadeja has had to miss out with injury, Axar has stepped in effortlessly. Jadeja has been one of India's first names on the teamsheet for a few years now, but he has a genuine competitor in Axar.