[Watch] Ravichandran Ashwin takes simple return catch to remove Will Young on Day 2 of IND vs NZ 2024 3rd Test
Veteran Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took the simplest of return catches on Day 2 of the third Test against New Zealand to dismiss Will Young for 51 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The 38-year-old got the wicket at a vital stage as Young seemingly looked to be in an aggressive mode to prop up New Zealand's lead.
The dismissal occurred in the 39th over of the innings as the off-spinner sent down a carrom ball. The right-hander played a checked drive, but miscued it and the ball spooned to Ashwin, who took a catch in front of his face. The previous deliveries in the over were also eventful as Young seemed to have escaped being dismissed. It was the veteran spinner's third wicket of the innings.
The 31-year-old right-hander has scored back-to-back half-centuries in both innings in Mumbai and shared crucial partnerships with Daryl Mitchell. Their partnership in the first innings was 87 and it was worth 50 in the second.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja do most of the damage to put victory in sight for Team India
Before sending back Young, Ashwin had accounted for Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips as well, finishing with figures of 16-0-63-3. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Ish Sodhi, and Matt Henry to attain figures of 12.3-3-52-4. The umpires called in stumps immediately after Jadeja dismissed Henry as the Black Caps' score stood at 171/9 alongside a lead of 143.
With the pitch playing plenty of tricks, Rohit Sharma and co. wouldn't want to chase anything beyond 150. Earlier in the day, the hosts resumed at their overnight score of 86/4, with Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) helping India to a slender lead of 28. India were comfortably placed at 78/1 near the close of play on Day 1 but lost three wickets only for six runs.