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Shubman Gill admits batting failures against Kiwis, laments lack of 'luck' behind bowlers' struggle

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Indian bowlers missed the opportunity to break into the New Zealand batting order but the wicket of Devon Conway at the critical juncture of the third day’s play before the rain came back to stop the game has given them a sight of hope in the views of the opener Shubman Gill.

He lamented the lack of opportunity to attack the then-new batsman Ross Taylor as players were rushed back to the pavilion due to bad light. However, he said that bowlers would fancy their chances on the fourth day morning as both Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor have not spent long hours at the crease.

“It (Conway) was a crucial wicket for us and I feel that if we would have been able to bowl a few overs to Ross Taylor, we might have been able to get a couple of more wickets. We would have a slight edge tomorrow as both batsmen (Taylor and Kane Williamson) are relatively new at the crease,” Gill said during the media conference.

Indian batting for all the might it possess, they have not crossed 250 runs in the last five innings against New Zealand and the fact was not lost on Gill as well. He said that the Virat Kohli-led batting lineup was on their way to mending the course but wickets in quick succession halted the progress.

“I think the Tests we played in New Zealand (in 2020), we didn’t have too much time to prepare as the focus was more on ODIs and T20s. As you said, we haven’t been able to cross 250 in the last five Tests. This Test also we were in a solid position but we lost couple of early wickets today. But hopefully, if we get some time, in the next innings, we will cross 250,” Gill said.

Gill also appreciated the impressive spell of seam bowling by Kyle Jamieson, who picked up a five-wicket haul to break the backbone of the Indian batting order on the third day.

He said that although Indian bowlers were not able to extract too many wickets on the third day, it was more down to lack of luck than poor bowling and that they would buy their own luck on the fourth day.

“He (Jamieson) was bowling well during the first spell but he didn’t get many wickets. But he got his reward today and I feel our bowlers also bowled well. However luck didn’t favour us and there were a couple of half chances which didnt go our way. Hopefully, tomorrow is a new day and it will bring us some luck,” Gill concluded.

The fourth day of the World Test Championship final is once again under the dark clouds and the possibility of a result in favour of any side now hinges on the batting collapse of a side.

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WTC final | Day 3: Kyle Jamieson, openers wear down India as bowlers fail to replicate Kiwis' template

A magnificent half-century from Devon Conway after a five-wicket haul on the back of superb seam and swing bowling by Kyle Jamieson put New Zealand on top at the end of the third day’s play in the World Test Championship final against India. However, Conway’s wicket, on a swinging leg stump half volley off Ishant Sharma, would have provided India with some sort of relief after the Blackcaps were on a roll to take the game completely away from India. Indian pace attack lacked a bowler who could genuinely swing the ball and an improved overhead condition also did not help them as much as it did the New Zealand pace attack on the previous day and in the morning session of the third day. Ishant Sharma found the most amount of swing in the air but Mohammed Shami was the best bowler on display from the Indian side. He was too unlucky to not have at least one wicket in his column after beating and finding outside edges of both Tom Latham and Devon Conway’s bat. In absence of swing in the air, Shami used all his hustles with the pace and seam movement to trouble both Blackcaps opener but they found a way to give their side a much-needed boost at the top of the order. Virat Kohli switched to Ravichandran Ashwin after seeing pacers not extracting any wicket and his move paid dividend albeit not immediately. Ashwin of now is a wily bowler even in overseas conditions and he lured Latham into driving at one that was not there at a suitable length and Kohli’s jubilation after taking the catch was more of a vindication than a celebration of a New Zealand’s wicket. India missed bowlers such as Tim Southee and Trent Boult, who could pitch the ball up and extract some swing in the air and New Zealand batsmen used all their experience of playing in similar conditions back home by playing the ball very late to combat all the seam movements they got. Earlier, India suffered a massive batting collapse in the morning session courtesy of outstanding seam and swing bowling by Jamieson, who opened his account on the third day with the big wicket of Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper was relying on Jamieson’s height to take the ball above the stumps and was leaving deliveries on the length which prompted the bowler to adjust his length to a bit fuller. Jamieson also seamed one back and found Kohli in front of the crease to give India a massive jolt straightaway. Rishabh Pant, who walked out to the crease with a great sense of expectations and hype paid the price of being himself and backing his flamboyance rather than discipline to get through the tough phase. Pant’s departure put all the onus of taking India to a safe position on Ajinkya Rahane’s shoulders, who was looking very settled at the crease till Kane Williamson brought on Neil Wagner and asked him questions against short-pitched bowling. After pulling the left-armer unconvincingly once, Williamson positioned fielders to set a trap and Rahane obliged in the manner that left both his fans and commentators in dismay. Jamieson’s control over line and length and India’s mixture of loose shots and lapse in concentrations brought New Zealand back in the game in the first session and the opening pair of Conway and Latham, along with skipper Williamson only strengthened the position by the end of the day’s play.