The New Zealand pacers took a little more than 45 minutes to take the two remaining Indian wickets, but not before the hosts piled up a substantial 375-run lead, which should be more than enough for them to win the match and the series. However, the New Zealand openers, Tom Latham and an under-pressure Martin Guptill, brought up their first 50-run partnership of the series before lunch, taking the team to 55/0 at the break.
Earlier, Wriddhiman Saha became the second half-centurion in India's innings with two back-to-back boundaries by sweeping Mitchell Santner. It was also his second fifty of the match, as he joined an elite list of Indian wicketkeeper-batsmen to do so, including MS Dhoni, Farokh Engineer and Dilawar Hussain.
Saha was promoted to the playing XI after Dhoni's retirement in late 2014. This was after years of traveling with the squad as the backup keeper and hardly getting a chance to play. Ever since his promotion, Saha has always been compared with his illustrious predecessor, who was not only an influential batsman but also the captain of the team. Saha, now 31, has not set the stage alight with his batting, but has still managed to score one century and four fifties (and a couple of 40s) since his promotion, after coming into bat at Nos 7, 8 and even 9. With these back-to-back unbeaten fifties in this match, has he silenced his critics, at least for some time?
If you have to compare him to Dhoni, Saha is hands-down a better wicketkeeper. He may not have Dhoni's think-in-your-feet and improvisation skills, but his wicketkeeping technique and agility is impressive. He may not be as good a batsman as Dhoni, but then that is not his primary job. As long as he is able to produce these gritty knocks with the tail that dig India out of trouble and prevent a collapse, he is well worth his place in the XI.