3rd Test: It boils down to one good partnership tomorrow, says Gill as India reduce NZ to 171/9

Mumbai: After scoring a brilliant and patient 90 that helped India recover from a difficult position of 86/4, India batter Shubman Gill on Saturday felt that the hosts are one good partnership away from victory in the third Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium.

Gill raised 96 runs for the fifth wicket partnership with Rishabh Pant (60), dropping anchor at one end as India posted 263 in their first innings for a small lead of 28 runs over New Zealand who managed 235 in their first innings.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who claimed 5-65 in the first innings, grabbed 4-52 in the second innings and along with Ravichandran Ashwin 3-62 helped India reduce New Zealand to 171/9 at the end of the second day.

Gill said India would have to claim the last wicket as early as possible and then hope to put together one big partnership to chase the target successfully.

“It’s all about one good partnership. When you are chasing the total which is around 150-160, if you have one good partnership of 70-80 runs, the match is done and dusted. So that’s what the conversation will be amongst the batters, to have one good partnership. And then when you know, even for the fielding team, once there is a 70-80 run partnership, the body language of the opposition also drops. So that’s what we will try to do, have one good partnership,” said Gill in the day-end press conference on Saturday.

Gill said that winning the third Test to avoid a clean sweep by New Zealand will be critical for India, especially in maintaining their chances of reaching the World Test Championship final.

“Definitely very critical. Every match that we play is going to determine if we are going to make it into the World Test Championship so every match that we play, we are going to come with our full intensity and play it as best as we can,” added Gill.

Gill said he and Pant were trying to put the pressure back onto the bowlers in the morning session on Saturday as they batted aggressively to add 96 runs for the fifth-wicket partnership.

“When you put the bowlers under pressure, it is difficult for them to bowl in that area consistently, and that is what we talked about. The way Rishabh came in and started hitting those boundaries, (it was because) they were not bowling that well in that particular session, they were not very consistent with their line and length. That is how we were able to cash in,” he added.

–IANS