IND vs NZ | 1st Test, Day 3 lunch: Umesh removes Williamson to lift India, but Latham holding fort

The big wicket of Kane Williamson at the stroke of lunch interval lifted India on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur. The visitors are still ahead in the game having lost just two wickets and being around the 200-run mark but a quick collapse can never be ruled out on an Indian pitch against the bowling combination of India.

The Blackcaps resumed their innings at 129/0 with Will Young and Tom Latham starting the proceedings. Young was more unsettled of the two and after numerous false shots, he fell to a delivery from Ravichandran Ashwin that kept low and Srikar Bharat was eager to affect his first dismissal in Test cricket after coming in for Wriddhiman Saha.

Then, Williamson joined hands with Latham to deny India any more opportunities to get amongst the New Zealand top order. However, he played some uncharacteristic shots at the start of the innings as well, but he was lucky enough to survive a top bowling spell from Ashwin.

Indian bowlers kept pressure from both ends and did not allow the Blackcaps batsmen to go on a roll with easy boundary balls.

Skipper Rahane delayed the second new ball for four overs before unleashing Umesh Yadav against the batsmen right towards the end of the session. Umesh got the ball to jag back sharply towards Williamson and the Blackcaps skipper was found rooted to the crease and a low bounce on the surface trapped him right in front of the stumps to give India the much-needed wicket.