IND vs NZ: Ravi Ashwin warns India despite Day 2 dominance, says 'it's not going to be easy with bat'

After a dominant show with the bowl on Day 2 of the ongoing Mumbai Test match against New Zealand, India’s star all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has warned the hosts not to take things lightly. Having established a narrow 28-run lead in the first innings, India restricted New Zealand to 171/9 at Stumps on Day 2. Ashwin was the star with the ball with three wickets while Ravindra Jadeja yet again is on the cusp of five-fer having scalped four wickets.

Ashwin warns India

“It's not going to be easy, we'll have to bat really well. I expected a lot more bounce and speed from this Mumbai pitch, it has been quite slow which is a surprise for me. It's not a typical Bombay pitch, but much slower than usual,” Ashwin said while speaking to the broadcasters after Stumps on Day 2.

So far the pitch has favoured bowlers with 29 wickets falling inside the opening two days of the Mumbai Test match. According to Ashwin, things are not going to be easy for them with the bat as New Zealand could still have enough on the board to script a historic whitewash in the series.

India take narrow lead in first innings

Having closed Day 1 on 86/4, the Indian pair of Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) made most of their chances as the hosts took a first innings lead for the first time in the series. Pant and Gill stitched a stand of 96 runs for the fifth wicket before the former was dismissed by Ish Sodhi. Ravindra Jadeja (14) and Washington Sundar (38) made significant contributions to the total as India took the lead in the first innings.

Local boy Sarfaraz Khan failed to make an impact having been dismissed for a duck while Aksha Deep went for a Platinum duck (out without facing a ball). Ajaz Patel yet again enjoyed the Mumbai surface as he scalped a five-fer, adding to his impressive 10 wickets in an innings from last India tour at the same tour.

New Zealand restricted to 171/9

Having established a lead of 28 runs after the first innings, Indian bowlers were yet again on the money as they bagged wickets at regular intervals. Will Young was the top scorer with 51 runs while Devon Conway (22), Daryl Mitchell (21) and Glenn Phillips (26) got starts but could not convert them into big innings.

New Zealand lead by 143 runs in the second innings with one wicket in hand, meaning India will have a less than 200-run target if they can bowl the visitors out on Day 3.