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India need 9 wickets as New Zealand have a mountain to climb on final day of Kanpur Test

Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed New Zealand opener, Will Young, cheaply in the dying stages of Day 4 as visitors require 280 runs to win the first Test.

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It started on a horrendous note but ended very strongly for Team India as they are now just nine wickets away from a victory in the first Test in Kanpur against New Zealand. Not one, not two, but four, the hosts lost four wickets by the time the second innings lead touched 100.

There was some poor batting from the Indian batters and some outstanding bowling by New Zealand, led by Tim Southee. Cheteshwar Pujara was first to go as he gloved a rising leg-side delivery from Kyle Jamieson. Stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane's poor form continued as he could add just four runs to his score of 35 in the first innings.

After which, Southee dismantled the Indian batting line-up dismissing Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja in the same over and the hosts were reduced to 51/5.

However, India's first innings hero Shreyas Iyer combined with the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha to get India out of a troublesome situation to safer shores and then to the point of dominance as by the end of the day.

Iyer, who smashed his maiden century in the first innings of his Test career played a splendid knock in the second as well, which came in a much more tough situation and proved to be much more important. Ashwin helped Iyer take his time as the off-spinner came out with real intent.

Ashwin took care of the scoring, not missing out on any boundary opportunities and Iyer was watchful when the Kiwi pacers Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson were operating. When the two had stitched a partnership of 30 runs or so, the New Zealand spinners came into the attack and their ineffectiveness helped the hosts.

Ashwin was dismissed by Jamieson after he scored 32 runs but Iyer continued on. He put the bad balls away and since the field had eased out, singles started coming. Saha too hit a couple of boundaries and Iyer could just focus on taking the innings forward and he brought up his fifty as well.

Saha and Axar Patel then stitched an unbeaten partnership of 67 runs as India declared on 234, setting a target of 284 runs for the visitors to chase in the last innings.

Only four overs could be bowled before the bad light stopped play for the fourth consecutive day but in that too India remained on top as they got a lucky break in form of the opener Will Young. 

It was a sharp turner from Ashwin into Young, that stayed low and hit him onto his pads. The umpire gave it out and Young had a long discussion with his partner Tom Latham. It went for too long as when he decided to review the 15-second timer was over and the replays showed that it was missing the stumps.

New Zeakland need 280 runs to win and have 90 overs to survive.

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