Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh frustrated New Zealand with the bat once again, smashing 85 runs off 82 balls on the third day of the second Test on Sunday. The feisty tailender hammered five sixes and seven fours to add 69 runs for the unfinished last wicket with Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (14 not out), taking India to 436-9 at the close at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
Harbhajan's onslaught followed his maiden Test century that helped India salvage a draw in the opener against the Kiwis in Ahmedabad.
New Zealand bowlers, led by Daniel Vettori (4-123), had reduced India to 367-9 but Harbhajan's defiant knock ensured India finished the day with a handy 86-run lead.
Harbhajan cut, pulled and drove with belligerence to enthrall a 30,000-strong weekend crowd. His efforts helped India pile up 113 runs in the final session despite losing four wickets.
Laxman was caught plumb in front of the wicket as he tried to whip paceman Chris Martin (1-87) off his pads and Dhoni (14) offered a tame catch at short cover off Vettori.
The wristy right-hander hit 11 boundaries in his 160-ball knock and shared 75 runs for the fourth wicket with Dravid (45).
Paceman Tim Southee (3-95) trapped Dravid leg before wicket to bring his patient 202-minute innings to an end. Dravid faced 144 balls, four of which were dispatched to the fence.
Laxman, playing the first Test at his home ground in a 14-year career added 52 runs for the fifth wicket with Suresh Raina, who was caught by Martin Guptill off Vettori.
The tourists claimed the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar early into the first session when Vettori lured him into playing an ambitious shot on the on-side.
Tendulkar, who was eyeing his 50th Test ton, failed to connect with the ball properly and edged to Taylor who leapt into the air to take a fine one-handed catch at first slip.
The third and the final Test will be played in Nagpur from November 20-24.
SCOREBOARD
NEW ZEALAND 1ST INNINGS: 350
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INDIA 1ST INNINGS (OVERNIGHT 178-2):
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G. Gambhir c Hopkins b Southee 54
V. Sehwag b Vettori 96
R. Dravid lbw b Southee 45
S. Tendulkar c Taylor b Vettori 13
V. Laxman lbw b Martin 74
S. Raina c Guptill b Vettori 20
MS Dhoni c McCullum b Vettori 14
H. Singh not out 85
Z. Khan c Arnel b Southee 7
P. Ojha run out 0
S. Sreesanth not out 14
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Extras: (b4, lb8, nb1, w1) 14
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Total: (for nine wkts; 134 overs) 436
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Fall of wickets: 1-160, 2-160, 3-184, 4-259, 5-311, 6-326, 7-336, 8-355, 9-367.
Bowling: Martin 29-6-87-1 (nb1), Southee 28-6-95-3 (w1), Arnel 24-5-79-0, Vettori 45-6-123-4, Williamson 7-0-31-0, Taylor 1-0-9-0.
Toss: New Zealand
Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)
TV umpire: Amiesh Saheba (IND)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).
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