India's hope of averting a humiliating 0-3 whitewash at home for the first time rests on Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin after suffering another batting collapse to struggle at 92 for 6 in pursuit of 147 at lunch on day three of the final Testa against New Zealand here on Sunday.

The home team still needs another 29 runs to register a consolation win after having already lost the three-match series. In yet another in explicable collapse, India lost five wickets for mere 16 runs after New Zealand folded for 174, setting the hosts 147 to win on a spin-friendly pitch which largely remained docile in the morning session.

Ravindra Jadeja (5/55) had claimed the final wicket of Ajaz Patel to complete his second five-for and 10 wickets in the match. Pant, who waged a lone battle, got out on on 64 off 57 balls.

Once again, Pant had taken charge to save the blushes for India with a knock that kept the game on tenterhooks, unleashing his rich arsenal of strokes to keep his side in the game. But in yet another abject surrender at home India's star-studded batting line-up produced arguably its worst performance in time to remember.

India's shocking and inexplicable descent began with skipper Rohit Sharma's (11)erroneous attempt to play his signature pull shot off Matt Henry on a delivery which was barely waist-high.

As soon as Rohit's top edge went up, Henry broke into celebration knowing it was headed towards Glenn Phillips — one of the best fielders — who ran behind from mid wicket to take a fine catch.

Coming off a fine 146-ball 90, Shubman Gill shouldered arms on a delivery from Ajaz Patel(4/43) expecting the ball to turn away but it straightened to crash into his off-stump.

He marched onto the ground once again with his bat on his shoulder, perhaps to exude confidence, but Virat Kohli (1) failed to reach the pitch of a floated delivery which took the edge of his bat to the first slip.

From the other end, Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) had watched some part of this surrender and he too became a part of it when he was beaten by Phillips (1/31) for a leg-before.

Sarfaraz Khan(0) went for a premeditated sweep shot on the first ball for the second time in the Test and paid heavy price too, top edging it for Rachin Ravindra to move infrom deep square leg and complete a pair for the batter.

Jadeja (6)played second fiddle in a 42-run partnership with Pant in their bid to take India closer to the target but the all-rounder was caught brilliantly at short leg by Will Young off Patel.

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