NAGPUR, India (Reuters) - Rahul Dravid and Mahendra Singh Dhoni batted with supreme authority to steer India into a huge lead after New Zealand bowlers had picked up three early wickets on the third day of the deciding test match on Monday.
Dravid stood tall with his 31st test hundred while captain Dhoni looked set for his fifth hundred in tests as they stitched together a 182-run partnership for the unbroken sixth wicket.
India reached a huge total of 510 for five wickets at tea to stretch the lead to 317, with Dravid (166) and Dhoni (95) still at the crease.
The right-handed Dravid got to the coveted mark with a flicked two, 10 minutes before lunch at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Dhoni, who had been short of runs of late, joined Dravid at the crease after the hosts had lost Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman and Suresh Raina cheaply.
The pin-up boy of Indian cricket then stepped on the pedal with some lusty hits to demoralise the New Zealand bowlers. He hit 12 boundaries and a six in his unfinished knock.
The tourists had a couple of half chances but the fielders failed to cling on to any making it more difficult for the under-assault bowlers.
Tendulkar (61) could add just four runs to his overnight score before he edged debutant Andy McKay to wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins to become the left-arm seamer's first test wicket.
Laxman followed soon after as Chris Martin bowled a big inswinger to breach his defence while New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori dismissed Raina through a bat-pad catch at silly mid-on.
The three-test series is tied at 0-0 after two draws.
Dravid stood tall with his 31st test hundred while captain Dhoni looked set for his fifth hundred in tests as they stitched together a 182-run partnership for the unbroken sixth wicket.
India reached a huge total of 510 for five wickets at tea to stretch the lead to 317, with Dravid (166) and Dhoni (95) still at the crease.
The right-handed Dravid got to the coveted mark with a flicked two, 10 minutes before lunch at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Dhoni, who had been short of runs of late, joined Dravid at the crease after the hosts had lost Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman and Suresh Raina cheaply.
The pin-up boy of Indian cricket then stepped on the pedal with some lusty hits to demoralise the New Zealand bowlers. He hit 12 boundaries and a six in his unfinished knock.
The tourists had a couple of half chances but the fielders failed to cling on to any making it more difficult for the under-assault bowlers.
Tendulkar (61) could add just four runs to his overnight score before he edged debutant Andy McKay to wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins to become the left-arm seamer's first test wicket.
Laxman followed soon after as Chris Martin bowled a big inswinger to breach his defence while New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori dismissed Raina through a bat-pad catch at silly mid-on.
The three-test series is tied at 0-0 after two draws.
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