Mumbai (Maharashtra): India must complete a historic run chase at Wankhede Stadium against New Zealand during the third Test on Sunday, November 2, 2024. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team need 147 runs to emerge triumphant in the third and final Test of the series to avoid a shameful whitewash (in a series which had three or more Tests) and lose three Tests in a row at home in 92 years history. This game also brings huge significance in terms of the quest for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
India bowled out New Zealand for 174 in the second innings courtesy of spin twin Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin's magical spin-bowling display. Jadeja completed his 15th fiev-wicket haul. Not just this, he also completed a 10-wicket haul, claiming fifers in both innings. This is his second best match figures for him after 10/110 vs Australia in Delhi, 2023. This is for the first time he has picked five-fer in each innings and become the only second Indian to take two five-fers in a Test for India vs New Zealand after R Ashwin (twice).
🔟 wickets in the match!
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 3, 2024
1⃣5⃣th Five-Wicket Haul in Test Cricket 👌👌
Congratulations, @imjadeja 🫡
Scorecard - https://t.co/KNIvTEyxU7#TeamIndia | #INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/ZXBUtZqSIf
However, it will not be straightforward as only five teams have successfully shot down a fourth-inning total as the highest run chase at the Wankhede belongs to South Africa that dates back to 2000. The Proteas had chased down 163 runs against India in 2000, but the important thing to note here is that this is the only instance when a team has successfully achieved a 100+ run target. When it comes to the home team, India's most successful run chase at Wankhede was 51 runs against England in 1984. Notably, this was the only time India has chased a target at this venue.
3RD Test. WICKET! 45.5: Ajaz Patel 8(23) ct Akash Deep b Ravindra Jadeja, New Zealand 174 all out https://t.co/Vz7cIv1znY #INDvNZ @IDFCFIRSTBank
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 3, 2024
After the day two play, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin accepted that a chase of around 150 won't be very easy for the Indian batters on a not-so-typical Wankhede turner, where the track is behaving differently. It's not going to be easy, we'll have to bat really well," Ashwin told former teammate Dinesh Karthik in a snap interview for Jio Cinema.
"The game itself is divided into two halves. The one from the pavilion end and from the other end, it's slightly behaving differently. It's slightly flatter from the one where we are bowling from the dressing room side, the bounce is much lesser. So I thought I will try and use it the other way. The (NZ) batters are also knowing that it's easier to take me on from this side. So I wanted to give something different," Ashwin explained how the Wankhede pitch is behaving.
Highest run chases at Wankhede Stadium
- South Africa 164/6 vs India (2000)
- England 98/0 vs India (1980)
- England 58/0 vs India (2012)
- India 51/2 vs England (1984)
- Australia 47/0 vs India (2001)
Other records (Cricbuzz):
- 31 sixes hit by New Zealand - second most by them in a series behind 32 against Pakistan in UAE in 2014/15
- 31 maximums is the joint second most by a visiting team in a series in India behind 32 by West Indies in 1974/75 (5 Tests), while Australia also hit 31 in 2000/01 (3 Tests).
- Ashwin ends with an average of 41.22, second worst for him in a home series behind 52.64 against England in 2012/13 - these are the only two series where India have lost at home during his career.
