3rd Test Live: India aim to bowl New Zealand out early on Day 3

It was the sort of moment which makes us fall in love with the sport of bat and ball all over again. Ravichandran Ashwin, having endured a lean run and ceded the spotlight to younger off-spin colleague Washington Sundar in Pune, won hearts as he pulled off the best catch of his life here on Saturday.

Running sideways for almost 19 metres from mid-on after Daryl Mitchell tonked a spinning delivery from Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin, all of 38, launched himself into a dive to take a blinder. The catch ended a 50-run fourth partnership in 83 balls between Mitchell and Will Young (51; 100b, 2x4, 1x6) and turned things back India's way. The way he let off a scream and threw the ball in the air, and the way his teammates hugged him after that brilliant catch, was testament to what Ashwin means to this side.

Charged up after that piece of magic, Ashwin unleashed a string in his bow. Two deadly carrom balls accounted for the dangerous-looking Glenn Phillips and Young, with both batters perhaps expecting the ball to turn. In the process, Ashwin became the most successful bowler at the Wankhede with 41 wickets, breaking leg-spin great Anil Kumble's record of 38. He had earlier foxed the dangerous Rachin Ravindra too.

New Zealand lead by 143 runs in their second innings, after Indian spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin triggered an opposition collapse in a keenly fought third Test on Saturday.

The tourists were 171/9 on day two after Jadeja bowled Matt Henry for his fourth wicket of the innings at the stroke of stumps on a sharply turning track in Mumbai.

Ajaz Patel was batting on seven after he took five wickets to help bowl out India for 263, with the hosts taking a slender lead of 28.

New Zealand won the first two matches to seal their first-ever Test series triumph in India and now eye a 3-0 sweep.

"To be honest it's (the pitch) turning quite sharply," Ajaz told reporters.

"I suppose inconsistent in terms of how much it does turn and bounce. It has started to turn from both ends and from a batting perspective that can be a challenge."

A late collapse on Friday meant India resumed on 86/4, and Pant eased early nerves by hitting Patel for three boundaries in the opening over before scooping one for four a little later.

Gill was given a reprieve on 45 while looking to charge Phillips midway through the first session, when substitute Mark Chapman dropped a simple catch running in from the deep.

He then reached his seventh Test half-century, as the Black Caps struggled to contain the runs after missing a big chance to turn up the heat on the hosts and boost their own chances of an unprecedented 3-0 series sweep.

Pant, who stepped out of his crease and hit Patel out of the park a couple of times and pulled Phillips for a four, then took a single to reach his fifty in only 36 balls, the fastest by an Indian against New Zealand.

Phillips was unfortunate to miss out again when Henry dropped Pant on 53, but Sodhi trapped the batsman lbw to end the fifth-wicket partnership for 96.

Shubman Gill missed out on a century while Rishabh Pant scored a quick-fire 60 as India made 263 in response to New Zealand's 235 before their spinners reduced the tourists to 171/9 at stumps on day two of the low-scoring third Test in Mumbai on Saturday.

Ajaz Patel was unbeaten on seven after Will Young's battling 51 in testing conditions, as New Zealand wiped out a slender 28-run deficit and built up a valuable lead of 143 at the end of another sweltering day at the Wankhede Stadium.

Akash Deep put New Zealand under some early pressure in their second stanza when he castled skipper Tom Latham for one and Washington Sundar snared opener Devon Conway for 22 at the start of an absorbing final session.

Ravichandran Ashwin (3-63) had Rachin Ravindra stumped for four to leave New Zealand in trouble at 44-3, before pulling off a fine catch that got rid of the dangerous Daryl Mitchell for 21 after the batsman had put on a 50-run stand with Young.

Ravindra Jadeja (4-52) took his second wicket by dismissing Tom Blundell for four, while Ashwin snared the aggressive Glenn Phillips for 26 before the momentum swing India's way further after Ish Sodhi fell for eight.

Young looked to take the game away from India with a patient effort but spooned one back to Ashwin and Matt Henry was castled by Jadeja for 10 on the last ball of the day.

New Zealand then slumped to 44/3. Akash Deep bowled Tom Latham for one, Sundar had Devon Conway caught at slip for 22 while Rachin Ravindra was stumped for four off Ashwin.

Will Young (51) and Daryl Mitchell fought back with a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket before Mitchell went for 21 when Ashwin pulled off a running catch at long-on off Jadeja.

Jadeja also dismissed Tom Blundell for the second time in the match. Glenn Phillips then staged a brief rally with three sixes before he was bowled for 26 by Ashwin.

Ish Sodhi also fell to Jadeja before the spinner claimed the wicket of Matt Henry from the final ball of the day.

New Zealand won the first two Tests in Bengaluru and Pune by eight wickets and 113 runs respectively, registering a landmark first test-series win in India.

Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin shared seven wickets as India seized control on day two of the third Test against New Zealand on Saturday.

New Zealand were 171/9 in their second innings at stumps, a lead of just 143 runs, after Jadeja took his haul of wickets in the match to nine by claiming 4-52 while Ashwin picked up 3-63.

Earlier, India was bowled out for 263 in their first innings. Shubman Gill top-scored with 90, including seven fours and a six. Ajaz Patel had figures of 5-103.

Gill and Rishabh Pant (60) put on 96 for the fifth wicket to dig India out of trouble after they started the day on 86/4. Washington Sundar also contributed a useful 38 not out off 36 balls, including four fours and two sixes.

Patel again showed his liking for the Wankhede Stadium, taking his total of wickets at the venue to 19 in just three innings.