Left arm spinner Axar Patel claimed a fifer as India restricted New Zealand to 296 in their first innings and gained a slender lead of 49 on the third day of the Kanpur Test on Saturday.
Resuming at overnight score of 129/0, the opening pair of Tom Latham and Will Young added 22 more runs before Ravi Ashwin provided the vital breakthrough by dismissing the latter caught behind for a well made 89.
Latham had a lucky escape when the Indian off spinner had him leg before wicket but the hosts failed to take a review, with replays suggesting that the ball would have hit off stump.
The left hander added 46 runs along with skipper Kane Williamson for the second wicket before Umesh Yadav trapped Williamson leg before wicket for 18 at the stroke of lunch.
Axar Patel pegged the visitors back by dismissing Ross Taylor (11), Henry Nicholls (2) and Tom Latham (95) in quick succession leaving them in a spot of bother at 227/5.
Ravindra Jadeja then got into the act by dismissing Rachin Ravindra bowled through the gap between bat and pad for 13.
Axar dismissed Tom Blundell and Tim Southee to complete his five wicket haul.
Ashwin claimed the wickets of Kyle Jamieson and Will Somerville as New Zealand were bowled out for 296, giving India an overall lead of 49.
The hosts suffered a big blow in the second innings as Shubman Gill was cleaned up by Jamieson for 1, with the lanky pacer becoming the fastest New Zealand bowler to reach 50 test wickets in the process.
However Cheteshwar Pujara (9*) and Mayank Agarwal (4*) saw India through without any further damage at 14/1, with a lead of 63.
Stumps at the end of Day 3
New Zealand first innings-296 all out. ( Tom Latham 95, Will Young 89, Axar Patel 5/62, R Ashwin 3/82) vs India second innings 14/1. (Mayank Agarwal 4*, Cheteshwar Pujara 9*) lead by 63 runs.