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Kanpur: Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin made the most of a turning pitch in Kanpur to rip through New Zealand as India racked up a commanding 215-run lead on day three of the first test on Saturday.
India scored freely to consolidate their position in the first match of the three-test series, reaching 159 for one at stumps with Murali Vijay (64) and Cheteshwar Pujara (50) at the crease.
Opener Lokesh Rahul (38) fell to Ish Sodhi just before tea, but Vijay and Pujara registered their second individual fifties of the match.
The pair added 107 runs for the second wicket and never looked in trouble against New Zealand's three-pronged spin attack, cutting with control and pulling with panache.
Earlier, starting the day at 152 for 1 the visitors however fell prey to the spin bowling of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin on either side of the first break.
159 for 1 became 170 for 4 and then 255 for 5 became 262 all out.
Going in to the second session on 238 for 5, New Zealand lost their last five wickets for just seven runs with Jadeja scalping three wickets in one over.
Mitchell Santner, promoted up the order had looked steady after compiling crucial partnerships - first with Luke Ronchi (49) and then BJ Watling (36), but failed to read the length of Ashwin's first ball after lunch and nicked one to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.
That wicket pushed New Zealand on the backfoot who still were 63 runs adrift of India's first innings total and with the cracks on the Green Park strip visibly assisting the tweakers it was time for Jadeja to wipe out the lower-order. He did that three overs later after Santner's dismissal with a couple quicker deliveries that had both Mark Craig (2) and Ish Sodhi trapped in front (0). Trent Boult negotiated the hat-trick delivery but a ball later he popped one to silly point to complete Jadeja's fifth five-wicket haul in Tests.
In dire straits, New Zealand's last recognized batsman Watling tried to up the ante but Ashwin took a good return catch to remove Watling and hand India a crucial 56-run lead. Ashwin finished with 4 for 93.
Brief scores
India - 318 (Vijay 65, Pujara 62, Boult 3-67, Santner 3-94) and 159/1 (Vijay 64*, Pujara 50*)
New Zealand - 262 (Williamson 75, Latham 58, Jadeja 5-73, Ashwin 4-93)
Status - India lead by 215 runs
