At the stumps of day 3, India is in a very solid position in the 3^rd Test against New Zealand at Holkar Cricket Stadium (Indore). New Zealand began the day from their overnight score 28/0 and were bundled out for 299 runs. India took a big first innings lead of 258 runs.

India did not force New Zealand to follow-on as the hosts decided to bat. At the stumps of the day, India was at 18/0 with 276 runs lead.

Brief Scores: India – 557/5 decl. (Virat Kohli 211, Ajinkya Rahane 188, Trent Boult 2/113) & 18/0 [Murali Vijay 11*, Gautam Gambhir (retired hurt) 6]

New Zealand – 299 (Martin Guptill 72, James Neesham 71, Ravichandran Ashwin 6/81)

Here are some statistical highlights of day 3 of the 3^rd Test:

New Zealand opening batsmen Martin Guptill and Tom Latham put 118-runs partnership for the 1^st wicket. It was the 4^th highest Test opening partnership for New Zealand on Indian soil.

After dismissing New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin becomes the 8^th most wicket-taker for India in Test cricket. Ashwin surpassed Indian pacer Ishant Sharma (209 wickets in Test career) and at the end of the day, the Indian off-spinner claimed 213 wickets in Test career.

On the day 3, Ravichandran Ashwin also became the 4^th highest Test wicket-taker on the Indian soil, after surpassing Bhagwath Chandrasekhar (142 Test wickets in India). At the end of the day, Ashwin has taken 146 Test wickets on the Indian soil.

Ravichandran Ashwin once again claimed 5-wicket haul during New Zealand’s first innings of this Test. At the end of New Zealand’s first innings, Ashwin’s bowling figure were 27.2-5-81-6. It was Ashwin’s 5^th five-wicket haul in Test career against New Zealand. With this five-wicket haul, Ashwin became the highest bowler to take most number of five-wicket haul (in a Test innings) for India against New Zealand in Test cricket history.

Also, this five-wicket haul was Ashwin’s 20^th five-wicket haul in his Test career and he is playing his 39 Test. Ashwin became the 3^rd fastest bowler (according to no. of Tests) to scalp 20 five-wicket hauls. The other two bowlers, who had claimed 20 five-wicket hauls in Test career faster than Ashwin, were – former English pacer Sydney Barnes (in 25 Tests) and former Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett (in 37 Tests).

India bowled out New Zealand for 299 runs and took a 258-run lead at the end of first innings fight. It (258-runs lead) was the 5^th highest 1^st innings lead for India against New Zealand in Test cricket history.

2 New Zealand batsmen were dismissed through run-out during New Zealand’s 1^st innings of this Test. On Indian soil, it was the second time that 2 New Zealand batsmen were dismissed through run-out in a Test innings. The first one was at Hyderabad (Deccan) in 1969.

There are no incidents till the day, where more than 2 New Zealand batsmen were dismissed through run-out in a Test innings on Indian soil.