Veteran wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik took to Twitter on Sunday to inform fans that it was cloudy in Southampton but there was no rain — three and half hours before the start of play on Day 3. The opening day’s play in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Ageas Bowl was called off without a ball being bowled on Friday. Indian skipper Virat Kohli finished the second day of the summit clash unbeaten on 44 as India and New Zealand went to stumps with the game evenly poised. Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane put on an unbeaten stand of 58 as India reached 146/3 when bad light forced an early end to the day, with only 64.4 overs of play possible.
Ahead of the third day, Karthik, who is at the venue on commentary duties, shared a picture from the stadium informing that fans needn’t worry as “there is no rain at the moment”.
“Another 3.5 hours to go for play to start, so lets not worry too much guys. For now it’s cloudy. But the good part is, there is not rain atm,” Karthik wrote on the photo while sharing it on Twitter.
Your lovely weather man Mr. DK#WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/4r4DOfaRaE
— DK (@DineshKarthik) June 20, 2021
After a washout on Day 1, New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl, looking to make the most of the overcast conditions in Southampton on Day 2.
And it was India who started the stronger as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill combined to put on 62 runs for the first wicket.
Rohit looked particularly threatening, with two boundaries through the off-side in Tim Southee’s fourth over of the morning.
However, Kyle Jamieson made the breakthrough with a full ball angled in. It moved away late and Rohit edged it to Southee at third slip for 34.
His dismissal slowed the scoring, and he was soon joined in the dressing room by his opening partner Gill, who feathered one through to BJ Watling off the bowling of Neil Wagner for 28.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli saw India through to lunch at 69/2 but the scoring rate had dropped rapidly, and that continued into the second session.
Eventually, that pressure told and Pujara fell LBW to Trent Boult for just eight, leaving India 88/3.
Rahane joined Kohli in the middle as India tried to rebuild. The pair buckled down and got their side to 120/3 at tea, with bad light forcing the players off.
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Just three more overs were possible after lunch until another enforced break, lasting half an hour.
On return, Rahane and Kohli continued to accumulate runs, taking their partnership past 50 before bad light meant an early end to proceedings.
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