India faltered after a sound start to their first innings as New Zealand banked on a strong bowling performance to grab the upper hand on the opening day of their first cricket Test here on Thursday.
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Ravindra Jadeja (16) and Umesh Yadav (eight) will now resume the innings when they come to bat on the second day tomorrow. We still got to back our instincts. All we got to do now is to go there (and) put pressure on them while bowling. Hard to leave because of the bounce and angle, Ashwin edged it to Ross Taylor at gully.
After Rahul had raced off to 39-ball 32 before getting out to Santner, Vijay and Pujara gained control of the situation with a steady century-run stand. Vijay was content to play second fiddle to an unusually attacking Pujara, and the duo took India to lunch at 105 for one. Pujara was the first to go – after looking set for a century, the batsman went after a quick one from Santner that was sacked at his feet, but his inside out shot sent the ball straight back for an easy catch by Satner.
Encouraged by the success of a spinner early in the innings, Williamson brought in off-break bowler Mark Craig.
Santner was the only Kiwi bowler to bag a wicket in the morning session. Boult once again bowled a brilliant in-swinger to rattle the stumps of Mohammad Shami in the first ball of his very next over as India had again collapsed – this time to 277/9. Vijay guided Boult to third man with a late cut to touch 49 and survived a leg before appeal off Sodhi before reaching his fifty with a single off Boult in the next over, the 41st of the innings.
New Zealand, who recently suffered a 1-0 loss against South Africa, will be counting on its spin bowlers including Indian-born Ish Sodhi, along with Mitchell Santner and Mark Craig.
New Zealand pacers Boult and Wagner produced appreciable swing and movement off the pitch, but were unable to outfox the Indian batsmen. Pujara played for the spin, expecting it to turn towards the offstump but only managed to offer a tame caught and bowled chance to Santner. In quick time, Pujara made 62 runs but fell when trying a big shot.
Vijay was patient in his approach and helped himself with four shots to the fence, while Pujara was swift and scored at a decent pace, hitting five boundaries. This news story is related to Latest/151816-India-2919-against-New-Zealand-500th-Test/ – breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne.
Kohli pointed to India s loss past year at the hands of Sri Lanka s spinners on a raging turner as evidence of his side s weakness, as they begin their quest to regain the number one world ranking spot. Both the spinners flighted the ball but it being a first-day pitch, there was not much purchase from it.
Santner had figures of two for 60 off 15 overs, which is slightly misleading, Wagner had one for 34 off 13 and Sodhi had taken one for 27 off 11.
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While Santner asked a few question the Indian batsmen handled Craig easily.
