IND vs NZ, 3rd Test: 'Pushed back in order to keep...,' Ex-India player on sending Sarfaraz at number 8

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has calledthe decision to send Sarfaraz Khan to bat at number 8 in the first innings of third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai a poor call. It happened on Day 2 of the Test on Saturday (Nov 2) with India trying to keep a left-right combination on the crease.

"A guy in form, has 3 fifties in his first 3 Tests, gets 150 in the Bangalore Test, a good player of spin, pushed back in the order to keep left & right combination?? Makes no sense. Sarfaraz now walking in at no 8! Poor call by India," Manjrekar posted on social media platform X.

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Sarfaraz, however, couldn't do much at number 8 and got out for a four-ball duck as India posted 263 in response to New Zealand's first innings total of 235 and took a crucial 28-run lead.

Earlier, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant started from India's overnight score of 86/4 and added 96 runs for the fifth wicket before Pant fell on a personal score of 60.

Gill played a mature innings of 90 runs while Washington Sundar scored a handy 38 down the order as India crossed 200 for the first time in the first innings of this three-Test series.

In New Zealand's second innings, Indian spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin took a total of seven wickets between them as the hosts were 171/9 at the close of play on Saturday with a lead of 143 runs in the second innings.

India would hope to get the remaining wicket quickly on Day 3 and will aim at chasing less than 150 to keep New Zealand from whitewashing them at home.

New Zealand already won the first two Tests and have already won the series – their first in India.