Watch: Bizarre spider-cam malfunction causes early lunches on Day 2 in Mumbai

The spider camera suddenly stopped moving, causing a disruption in play at the fag end of the first session on Day 2 of the final Test between India and New Zealand at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This technical glitch forced the referees to take an early lunch break on Saturday, November 2.

India lost four wickets before stumps on Day 1 after New Zealand were bowled out for 235 in their first innings. Starting Day 2 at 86/4, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill adopted a counter-attacking approach to thwart the New Zealand bowlers. Both recorded their half-centuries in the 30th over off Ish Sodhi. Gill reached the milestone with 66 balls. Meanwhile, the wicketkeeper-batsman needed just 36 balls to reach his fifty.

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India promoted Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Sarfaraz Khan in the batting order to maintain the left-right combination in the middle. The experienced all-rounder joined forces with Gill and the duo took India to 195/5 at the end of the 43rd over.

As Ajaz Patel was getting ready to bowl the second over of his new spell, his spider-cam stopped working and landed awkwardly in the frame. While play was stopped, on-field referees Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth argued. The Kiwi players saw the funny side as they shared a few laughs in between. Daryl Mitchell joked lightheartedly with the referees when the technician arrived to fix the problem.

The referees called for a lunch break and the players had to return to the locker rooms several minutes or even earlier than expected. By the time the technician took care of things, the players had already left the park.

India lost two wickets in a row after lunch

Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips started training for New Zealand after the lunch break. In the fourth over of the second session, Phillips bowled Jadeja, who edged Mitchell at first slip.

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Continuing on, Ajaz got rid of Sarfaraz Khan for a four-ball duck as the youngster tried to defend off the front foot but failed to account for spin and bounce. He kissed his glove as the ball went to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell as New Zealand took their seventh wicket.

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