Watch: New Zealand’s opening stand finally came to an end courtesy a brilliant catch from the stand-in wicketkeeper KS Bharat at Kanpur.
New Zealand openers got off to a good start on the third day, reaching the 150-run stand against India’s bowlers. This wasn’t an easy task as the ball was keeping low and beating the edges. India’s Ravichandran Ashwin got the most out of the wicket, troubling the openers especially Tom Latham, as an edge fell short of the first slip.
Bharat standing in for the regular keeper, Wriddhiman Saha, who was out due to a strain in his neck, found the going tough in the initial overs. But gradually he got used to the idea that the ball was keeping low, and changed his stance accordingly. Ashwin got one in the right spot, and Young ended up edging it behind the stumps. Bharat, who kept low, took a very fine take behind the stumps. The umpire was unmoved though Bharat was sure he had got his man.
They took the DRS, and the replays showed that there was an edge.
The commentator went, ” That’s what India needed to open up the flat game. But credit to the youngster Bharat.”
Later Sunil Gavaskar was in full praise of Bharat for his keeping on a day when the ball was keeping low.
