Lunch Report, Day 2: New Zealand reply strongly after bundling out India for 318

New Zealand were 71 for 1 at the Lunch interval on Day Two of the first Test at Kanpur against India. After restricting the hosts to just 318, despite the fact that India looked certain to go past 400 at one stage on Day One, the visitors scripted a good fightback. Kane Williamson and Tom Latham put on an important partnership for the second wicket after Martin Guptill fell early. It was a so-far-so good scenario for New Zealand, as they kept the spinners away from taking control of the game. Williamson and Latham were on 21 and 25 not out respectively at Lunch, and had steered the visitors’ ship forward well.

Williamson and Latham carried on nicely, in the first session after Guptill’s departure. They looked comfortable against the spinners. There were backward punches, use-of-feet, sweep shots and a few cuts as well. All in all, the Indian spinners didn’t look as vicious as expected, probably because the track still looks good for batsmen to score on. Not a rank-turner for sure, but of course it is expected to assist the spinners later on in the Test. Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav opened the bowling for India. But it was not too long before Virat Kohli decided to bring on Ravindra Jadeja into the attack, in fact in the third over itself. An attacking field an mindset was what Kohli went in with as New Zealand came onto bat in their first innings.

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Shami and Jadeja bowled a few spells, and there were a few half chances created too, but that didn’t go India’s way. The Kiwis were off to a good start, almost scoring at 5 runs per over, and looking positive, until Yadav was brought back into the attack and trapped the ever-so-susceptible Guptill on the pads. Guptill was victim to a delivery angled-in, which he missed and then there was no doubt on the decision as umpire Rod Tucker raised his finger, to Yadav’s delight. His poor run-of-form continued.

Kiwi captain Williamson came out to bat, after the first wicket fell for New Zealand. Kohli didn’t wait long and brought Ravichandran Ashwin on, in the very next over. But Ashwin could not take any wicket before Lunch. India did try a couple of field changes and bowlers too changed sides, but to no avail.

India’s overnight pair of Jadeja and Umesh Yadav were able to add 27 runs in the morning. Yadav though, fell to Neil Wagner who ended up with 2 for 42, but was steaming running-in throughout. Yadav was caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling, after Jadeja from the other end started scoring runs quickly in the first few overs of the day. The left-hander remained unbeaten on 42, that included 7 fours and a six as well. He made most of bad balls, and his innings was crictical in taking India past the 300-run mark. Trent Boult was excellent in the later phases of Day One. Mitchell Santner did pick pick up three wickets, but was a bit short at times and conceded unnecessary runs. Off-spinner Mark Craig and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi claimed a wicket each as well.

Earlier on Day One, KL Rahul and Murali Vijay opened the innings for India, after India won the toss and elected to bat first on what was expected to a spin-friendly Kanpur wicket. Rahul played aggressively in his 32-run stay. He became Santner’s first victim. Cheteshwar Pujara and Vijay then steered India’a ship forward, and scored individual fifites, before the former was out caught and bowled by Santner. Pujara looked good to score a century, and continue on his Duleep Trophy form. But when he got out, India were 154 for 2. Wickets of Kohli, Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane in quick succession put the brakes on for India, as New Zealand bounced back in the second session of play. READ: IND vs NZ, 1st Test 2016 Highlights, Day 1: Ashwin’s milestone, Boult’s comeback and other highlights

While Vijay edged one to Watling off Sodhi, after playing so well and getting 65, Wagner’s plan to bowl short to Kohli worked for New Zealand as Kohli hooked one and was caught by Sodhi for just 9. Wagner’s celebration expressed tremdous satisfaction on his part, and Kohli had to walk back without even reaching double-figures. Perhaps, Kohli went on to play the hook shot, very early in his inninigs. He was made to, by Wagner. Rahane too was out cheaply, becoming Craig’s only wicket. India at that stage lost the plot a bit, and lost their advantage. READ: India Vs New Zealand, 1st Test: Trent Boult ruins hosts’ 500-Test party

Rohit Sharma too, got off to a start but gave it away, when at 35. He did put on a decent partnership with Ashwin, before getting out though. Just when Rohit should have shown a bit more patience as the day’s proceedings were coming to an end, he ran out of it, thereby gifting away his wicket. Ashwin, continuing from his batting form in the West Indies, added 40 to India’s total, before he became Boult’s first victim of the Test. Wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha and Shami could not open their accounts as Boult’s inswingers became very lethal towards the closing stages of the day. India ended with the score reading 291 for 9 at Stumps on Day One.

New Zealand had bounced back brilliantly, after being on the back foot during the Vijay-Pujara partnership. Their bowlers depicted great character and got things in control. Going past 300 though, might give India the psychological advantage over the visitors.

India left out Shikhar Dhawan in the first Test, to squeeze-in Rohit in the lower-order. Yadav was picked over Bhuvneshwar Kumar, as the second seamer. Also, tall right-arm seamer Ishant Sharma was unavailable for selection in the first Test, due to Chikungunya.

Brief Scores:

India 318 all out in 97 overs (Murali Vijay 65, Cheteshwar Pujara 62, Ravindra Jadeja 42*; Trent Boult 3 for 67, Mitchell Santner 3 for 94) lead New Zealand 71 for 1 (Tom Latham 25*, Kane Williamson 21*, Martin Guptill 21) by 247 runs.

Full scorecard