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Indore meltdown a lesson for Black Caps

Ravi Ashwin continued his dominant series to leave the Kiwis in a spin after day three of the third Test

When New Zealand look back on what has gone wrong during their disappointing Indian series, the third day's play of the final Test in Indore will be a good place to start.

An inexplicable top-order collapse, meagre returns from star batsmen on dry pitches, a lower order revival and the astonishing vice-like grip of chief tormenter Ravichandran Ashwin undid the Black Caps once again.

The off-spinner claimed 6-81 - besides running out two batsmen with deflections onto the stumps at the non-striker's end - to ensure New Zealand squandered their best start in the series to be shot out for 299 after tea in reply to India's 5-557 declared.

Ashwin runs riot on Kiwi top-order

Virat Kohli did not enforce the follow-on to give some respite to his bowlers from the humid weather and India ended the day leading by 276 runs with all 10 second innings wickets in hand.

Barring a miracle or a sudden turn in fortunes, Kohli's soon-to-be world No.1 ranked side may not need all the remaining six sessions to sweep the series 3-0.

Quick Single: Ashwin, India in control of third Test

Few would have imagined the dramatic meltdown to follow after Martin Guptill, returning to form with a typically stroke-filled 72, put on 118 for the first wicket with Tom Latham.

But from a comfortable 1-134, the Black Caps lost 4-14 as Ashwin took three wickets and ran out Guptill by deflecting a straight drive from Luke Ronchi onto the stumps.

The experienced Ross Taylor fell to Ashwin for zero, continuing a poor run in the series where his highest score has been 36, coming in the first innings of the Kolkata Test.

Lightning strikes twice as Guptill falls in unlucky fashion

Skipper Kane Williamson (eight) fell to Ashwin for the third successive time, playing back to a ball that came in sharply and took the inside-edge on way to the stumps.

Jimmy Neesham led a revival with a gutsy 71 as the last five wickets added 151 runs after the top five had fallen for 148, but the gallant effort was not enough to turn the tide in the tourists' favour.

The beleaguered Black Caps found unexpected, but encouraging support from Ashwin, whose 20th five-wicket haul in only his 39th Test took his series wicket tally to 20 from five innings.

Quick Single: Black Caps call for pitch protection

"In India, once you lose the first Test or two, it becomes very difficult to come back, just like it is for a touring team to any other part of the world," the articulate 30-year-old said.

"But I would say New Zealand have definitely batted well. They’ve been in the game more than any other team has been when they’ve toured here."

Ashwin, however, tempered his praise for the tourists with a warning that another spin assault was being planned over the next two days.

"At this time, this is a quality wicket, very good to bat on," he said. "We hope it wears out and gives us the ammunition tomorrow.

"We plan to bat over the next session or two and see how it turns out. It’s turning more at one end because there’s more rough due to the bowlers' footmarks.

"It’s not spinning a lot, hopefully it will deteriorate."

Quick Single: Kohli, Rahane cash in on modern advantage

However, for the Black Caps, the pitch has already become a minefield.

"It’s obviously deteriorating and certainly starting to turn," said opener Latham. "It is not cracking up so much but there is dust and footmarks for bowlers to work with.

"They (the Indian spinners) will be targeting those in the second innings so we have got to find a way of rectifying that.

"We need to put partnerships together. We were not at our best today, losing wickets that we were not happy with.

"We have got to stick to our game plan and stay true to what we believe works. If you have the right technique and mental state you can score runs out there."