Pune (Maharashtra):India need to complete the second highest run chase in the fourth innings to level the series 1-1 with New Zealand in the second Test at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) here on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
Resuming at 198 for five, the Kiwis lost their remaining five wickets for 57 runs in an hour into the first session itself. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (2/97) and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (3/72) shared the spoils.
Spinners inflicted quick blows as India skittled out New Zealand for 255 in their second innings. But New Zealand built a lead of 358 runs, and the victory target of 359 is quite challenging on a crumbling Pune pitch. If India successfully chases the target, it will become their second-highest fourth-innings chase ever in Test cricket history. However, it is also worth noting that the highest fourth-innings target chased down against New Zealand was 345 by West Indies in Auckland in 1969.
- 403 runs vs West Indies (Port of Spain, 1976)- India's biggest run chase in Test cricket is 403 runs against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1976. It was India's openers Gundappa Vishwanath and Sunil Gavaskar who built the foundation, smashing a century apiece to lead India to a historic win. West Indies scored 359 runs in the first innings, while Team India scored only 228 runs. In the second innings, the Caribbean team declared a score of 271 runs for 6 wickets, setting up the mammoth target of 403 runs which was eventually chased down successfully.
- 387 runs vs. England (Chennai, 2008) - India's scripted history in 2008, when they chased down a massive 387 runs target against England with 6 wickets in hand in Chennai. This is also India's highest successful run chase ever in a home Test. In the match, England amassed 316 runs in the first innings and later restricted them to 241 runs. England then again declared 311 runs for 9 wickets, setting up a target of 387 runs. However, Men in Blue made a remarkable comeback in the second innings, courtesy of Virender Sehwag's 82 runs off 68 balls and Sachin Tendulkar's century (103).
- 328 runs vs Australia (Brisbane, 2021)- The last time India chased down the 300+ run target Test was in 2021 when Ajinkya Rahane-led young Indian side, which was left with only 11 players in the squad as many stalwarts of the Indian cricket in the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah were sitting out due to injury while then captain Virat Kohli was on personal leave. The Australian side had set a 328-run target at Gabba in Brisbane, the stadium where the hosts had not lost a single match in the last 32 years, with around four sessions remaining. It was youngsters Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill along with Cheteshwar Pujara not only kept spending time on the pitch, facing a barrage of bouncers, but they scored runs at a quick pace, leading India to a famous win and back-to-back series victory over Aussies at their home. In the match, Team India achieved 329 runs for 7 wickets with Shubman Gill scoring 91 and Rishabh Pant scoring 89*.
Brief scores:New Zealand: 259 all out and 255 all out in 69.4 overs (Tom Latham 86, Glenn Phillips 48, Tom Blundell 41) vs India: 156 all out.
India chased in the fourth innings at home
387/4 vs England (Chennai, 2008)