New Zealand need to make 540 runs to win the second Test in Mumbai.
New Zealand has been set 540 runs to win the Test and the series after India declared their second innings at 276/7. Ajaz Patel finished with 14/225, the best figures by any bowler against India in Test cricket.
However, in their mammoth chase, New Zealand lost stand-in captain Tom Latham for 6 to Ashwin, who then removed Will Young for 20 and then Ross Taylor for 6 runs.
While Latham and Young fell to Ashwin in traditional innings, Taylor came in looking for a fight and went after the bowlers in his 8-ball stay at the crease. His bizarre knock came to an end after he skied a slog sweep to Cheteshwar Pujara, who took a good running catch.
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This was an uncharacteristic inning from the 37-year-old, who had 7577 runs in 109 Tests with 19 centuries to his name at an average of 45.37 and the best score of 290 before this Test match.
He looked in a hurry to go back to the pavilion and though he hit a four in his knock, his whole attitude seemed off when New Zealand wanted him to have a calm head in a chase of 540 runs.
Aakash Chopra reacted to the innings by Taylor and called it the worst 8 balls ever played by a top batter. He tweeted, “Might go down as the worst 8 balls played by a top order batter in Tests…”
Harsha Bhogle agreed with Chopra and quoted his tweet saying, “Agree. As if the programme he was watching was on a commercial break and he didn't want to miss anything.”