Published: Sep 23, 2016, 07:30 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 23, 2016, 12:55 PM (IST)
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket blog and live cricket updates’ post of the second day’s play between India and New Zealand at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Friday. On Day One, India won the toss in their 500th Test. Virat Kohli had no hesitation in opting to bat first on a pitch conducive for batting. India came out with six proper batsmen and four bowlers, apart from a wicketkeeper-batsman. India started off well and were cruising at 154 for 1 at one stage but a flurry of wickets in the final two sessions saw them get reduced to 291 for 9 at stumps. Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara scored valiant fifties but it was Mitchell Santner and Trent Boult who lifted the spirits of the visitors with three wickets apiece. The live score of the India versus New Zealand first Test, Day One will be available from 09.30 AM IST onwards.
The live cricket score of the India series against New Zealand will be available on this page, as well as the live cricket commentary after the start of the game. The second day’s play is interestingly set up as India will like to get past 300 with Ravindra Jadeja still at the crease. The focus will be on how Indian bowlers use the cracks on the turf produced by New Zealand bowlers and push them on the backfoot. The live cricket score of the India series against New Zealand will be available on this page as well as the live cricket commentary after the start of the game.
The live scores of India versus New Zealand will be keenly followed by all cricket fans as it is the beginning of a massive home season for the Indian cricket team and the fact that Kohli-led team is very close to the No. 1 spot in ICC Test Rankings, behind arch-rivals Pakistan. New Zealand are placed at the bottom on the seventh spot and it will be very difficult to match the hosts in their backyard but they have started off well.
PREVIEW – India vs New Zealand, 1st Test, Day 2 at Kanpur: The Indian cricket team had an ordinary outing against New Zealand on the first day of their opening Test at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Thursday. Playing in their historic 500th Test, the Indian cricket team produced an ordinary show with the bat as they were left tottering at 291 for 9 in the 90 overs that were bowled on the first day. The Kiwis stole the limelight as they seized control of the proceedings after the end of the first session, not allowing India to set up a platform for a massive total in the first innings.
At the beginning of the second session, it looked like it will be India all the way throughout the day. The hosts, who had won the toss and selected to bat first, had decked up their batting order with as many as six specialist batsmen for this Test, which was a clear indication that India wanted to put up a massive total in the first innings and try and make New Zealand bat twice. But India’s plans got thwarted by their own batsmen, as a lot of them had soft dismissals and at the end of the day, India stood at the risk of being bowled out under 300, which could be embarrassing for the home team. Murali Vijay top scored for India with 65, and the second batsman with most runs for India on the first day was Cheteshwar Pujara, who fell for 62 runs. IND vs NZ, 1st Test 2016 Highlights, Day 1: Ashwin’s milestone, Boult’s comeback and other highlights
It was a day that belonged to New Zealand, who played with a lot of self belief and did not stray from their plans. New Zealand’s effort at a docile wicket at the Green Park Stadium was even more special as neither their fast bowlers nor spinners had a great assistance from the pitch, and instead, it was their disciplined effort throughout the day combined with some ordinary stroke-making that did the job for them. India Vs New Zealand, 1st Test: Trent Boult ruins hosts’ 500-Test party
The touring team had selected as many as three spinners for this Test, but on the first day, it was the left-arm lanky spinner Mitchell Santner who was among the pick of the bowlers. Santner returned with the figures of 20-2-77-3, accounting for the wickets of three of India’s main batsmen — KL Rahul, Pujara and Rohit Sharma. The other bowler who was even more impressive was Trent Boult, who found rhythm with the second ball and snaffled 3 wickets, which included that of Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha.
The only bright spot for India on the first day was the century stand between Vijay and Pujara. At one point in the day’s play, it appeared that India were setting an excellent platform to launch themselves for a humongous total, with both these right-handed batsmen making the New Zealand bowling look ordinary. Both Pujara and Vijay used their feet extremely well, and they kept milking the New Zealand spinners for singles and doubles and even occasional boundaries. But it was a lose stroke from Pujara that brought an end to their 112-run stand, and thus began a procession which the Indian team had not imagined. India vs New Zealand, 1st Test 2016: Statistical highlights from Day 1
Kohli fell for 10-ball 9, Rohit squandered yet another opportunity as he was caught at mid-on, trying to clear the fielder later in the day. Ajinkya Rahane was caught bat-pad by short-leg, and Vijay and Rahul were caught behind. Ashwin did what he could do the best — when India had lost far too many wickets for a moderate score on board, the Indian all-rounder dropped anchor with Rohit and tried to stabilise the innings.
The Indian cricket team now stand the risk of being bowled out for a total under 300. They are currently placed at 291 for 9 with their bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and tailender Umesh Yadav at the crease. Umesh, on his part, hit two boundaries in the dying moments of the opening day that took India close to 300, but it is not the score which India would have had in their minds when they won the toss and opted to bat first.
For India, the approach to the game from the second day onwards will have to be a lot more aggressive and self-assured than what it was on the opening day. Indian batsmen went for half-hearted shots, which their bowlers will now have to make up for since they do not have too many runs on the board. Around the same time last year, India were making mockery of the former world No. 1 South Africa on their rank turners, but the wicket at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur for this ongoing Test does not resemble to any of the pitches on which India thrived a year ago. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and ‘uncontrolled aggression’
But before that, India will have to try and add as many runs as possible. The cricket fraternity has always looked upon Jadeja — who is one of the overnight batsmen on second day morning — with a lot of amusement since his Test average of little over 20 does not speak the volumes it should about a man who has scored three triple centuries in First-Class cricket. Jadeja will be expected to get India as many runs as possible and at the same time, protect his only partner left in the Indian ranks. Umesh is not known for his batting heroics as well as Ishant Sharma is, and India will certainly miss their most experienced Test cricketer in the middle who is currently down with Chikungunya. India vs New Zealand, 1st Test: Virat Kohli gets his team combination half-right
But the credit has to be given where it is due, and New Zealand deserve every iota of it. It is not that they were perfect; just before he took a fine catch to dismiss the Indian captain, Ish Sodhi had done a misfield at the deep fine-leg to gift Kohli a free boundary. But the New Zealand team did hold on to all the catches, and they maintained discipline in their line and lengths while bowling. However, this is just a part of the whole task; New Zealand will have to do extremely well with the bat in order to challenge India completely.
(Devarchit Varma is senior writer with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)
