We are on top, but anything can happen: Ishant

Wellington:

India might be on top in the ongoing third cricket Test against New Zealand but pacer Ishant Sharma on Saturday said his team remains wary of a comeback by the hosts.

"From the current position, we definitely have the chance to win this Test. Nobody plays to lose and we will try our best. But cricket is a very funny game," Ishant said after the second day's play, at the end of which India took an overall 233-run lead.

"You know what happened in Napier. They got us out very early in the first innings, but they couldn't in the second.

It is cricket, anything can happen. All we can do is give our 100 per cent on the field," said the 20-year-old, who got just one wicket in Kiwi first innings.

Ishant praised his strike partner Zaheer Khan, who bagged five wickets today, for helping him develop as a fast bowler.

"He has been bowling well since returning from an injury. I can't really speak much about his bowling, he is much more experienced. But I can say that he has done well for the team and supported me.

"He knows much better how to adapt to conditions. He also tells us how to bowl in particular situations. And whenever we make mistakes, he comes up and tells us what we should do to rectify it," Ishant said.

Explaining why he struggled to bowl from the far end, Ishant said, "When you bowl against the wind, it is quite difficult to get the rhythm. Then when you bowl with the wind, you have to change your rhythm and momentum. You have to adapt to the conditions."

The pacer was happy for his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who took a record six catches in the Kiwi first innings, the most by an Indian wicketkeeper in an innings.

"Obviously, it is a great effort from the captain. He always backs the players, whatever the situation. He is always happy, he is always normal. He wasn't too happy about his catching. He would always say if the bowlers are putting in the effort, even the fielders need to support them," said Ishant.