Skipper Kane Williamson and opener Tom Latham led New Zealand’s robust reply with unbeaten half-centuries before rain and a wet outfield washed out the final session of the second day’s play in the first test against India on Friday. Losing the toss meant, the Kiwis would have to bat last on this sure-to-wear Kanpur wicket, while giving India the first use of the pitch.
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Pujara (62) then joined forces with Vijay (65) to prop up the innings, the duo adding 112 runs for the second wicket and rarely looking in discomfort against the visitors.
Losing three wickets for 31 runs before tea was a setback, though Rohit Sharma (35) and Ravichandran Ashwin (40) tried to fix the damage by adding 52 runs for the sixth wicket.
Ravindra Jadeja will begin day two on 16 and will have Umesh Yadav for company with eight runs to his name.
With India claiming to be in good position after the first day’s play in the opening Test, New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner reckoned that his side were not in a bad position either, considering the kind of start the hosts got. The pressure Santner put from one end also helped his spin colleagues Sodhi and Craig to pick up a wicket apiece.
New Zealand’s Trent Boult (C) celebrates the wicket of India’s Wriddhiman Saha with teammates during the first day of the first Test match between India and New Zealand at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on September 22, 2016.
Asked how satisfying was it to be among runs after the injury-plagued Caribbean tour, he said: “I played only one innings there and after that it’s been long”.
Less than three overs, New Zealand grabbed the very important wicket of Virat Kohli, whose aggressive approach cost him his stint at the crease.
India’s Murali Vijay avoids a bouncer.
“I wouldn’t say it is hard to bat on this wicket”.
New Zealand brought reserve wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi into their XI for his second test – his first, at Leeds a year ago, produced an 88, 31 double. We were lucky to get a few wickets at the end there to pull it back.
But Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin shared a decent stand of 52 before Sharma was out for 35, lobbing Santner to Ish Sodhi at mid-on. Got to take it in my stride and we better in the second innings.The wicket was on the slower side, and so wanted to rotate strike, with their safe field as well.
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On the flipside, Pujara, Ashwin and Vijay batted very well. They could expect a bit of help early on, with overcast conditions at the start of the Test match. They should have watched carefully how Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara went about their business yesterday.
