The brutality of sport can sometimes be really hard to digest.

Take the case of New Zealand. In Ajaz Patel, they have a bowler who has achieved the rare and very special feat of taking all 10 wickets in an innings. Not just that, the left-arm spinner also registered thebest-ever bowling figures (14/225) in a Test match against India. Yet, New Zealand are staring down the barrel at the Wankhede in the second and final Test.

Setting New Zealand a massive target of 540, after declaring their second innings at 276/7, India are just five wickets away from yet another series win at home. With Ravichandran Ashwin (3/27) making rival batsmen dance to his tunes once again, the hosts have New Zealand wobbling at 140/5 at stumps on Day III.

The visitors have Henry Nicholls (batting on 36) and young Rachin Ravindra (batting on 2), one of their saviours in the first Test, at the crease.

But the situation is different in this match and neither of the two have looked confident so far. Ashwin, in fact, with a little bit of fortune, should have cleaned up Nicholls for the second time in this Test.

Late in the final session on Sunday, the off-spinner had Nicholls in all sorts of trouble, beating the outside edge of the left-hander’s bat thrice on the trot. Luckily for Nicholls, the stumps remained intact despite the ball hitting a part of the bails from one of those three deliveries.

Mitchell’s ‘gift’

With stand-in captain Tom Latham failing again and the senior-most batsman in the line-up, Ross Taylor, making no effort to show even a bit of application, Daryl Mitchell (60) held fort for some time. But he paid the price for a rush of blood to gift Axar Patel a wicket.

Soon after, Tom Blundell’s recklessness ran him out, which was the last thing the Black Caps needed at that stage.

Mayank’s statement

Following up his 150 with a half-century, Mayank Agarwal (62) has certainly been able to make a statement in India’s last Test at home this year. It would be shocking now if his name is not there in the Test squad for the upcoming South Africa tour.

While Axar (41 not out) continued his impressive showing with the bat to help India’s lead swell to 539, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubman Gill and captain Virat Kohli couldn’t make use of the opportunity to get handsome scores. But overall, the Indian camp will be happy with how this Test has shaped up for them.