NEW DELHI: Win the toss and bat first has been the cardinal rule on Indian tracks, but the slight greenish tinge on the Green Park strip in Kanpur coupled with the overcast conditions might have swayed both India’s Virat Kohli and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson’s decision at the toss. Kohli, however, went on to win the toss inIndia’s 500th Test match and opted to bat, and within an hour of play it was evident that underneath the green surface was a typical Indian Day 1 batting track. Indian batsmen made the most of it in the first session, but let the advantage slip later on. New Zealand mounted a superb comeback lead by left -arm spinner Mitchell Santner (3/77) and pacer Trent Boult (3/57) to restrict India to 291 for nine at close of play on Day 1.
India were always the favourites going in to the match, but day one proceedings exemplified why New Zealand consistently punch above their weight.
Williamson was at the forefront with smart bowling changes and tactical decisions and the confidence he and coach Mike Hesson showed in their spin trio of Santner, Ish Sodhi (1/50) and Mark Craig (1/59) paid rich dividends. Santner varied his length superbly and kept the Indian batsmen guessing while Craig stuck to the strategy of tossing the ball up and stifled the Indian run-rate for a brief period. Boult then wiped out the lower-order with the new ball in no time.
The spinners shared five of the nine Indian wickets to fall between them, with the big wicket of Kohli claimed by pacer Neil Wagner (1/42). Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay had done well to build on the brisk start provided by KL Rahul (32) and took India in to lunch at 105 for 1. The duo took minimal risk yet managed a partnership of 63 runs in 20 overs in the first session. Vijay was sure footed as ever and pounced on anything short scoring his 7th Test fifty. Pujara, on the back of a good Duleep Trophy performance, was uncharacteristically brisk and played with intent to take five boundaries en route to 62 off 109 balls. The duo combined for a 112-run stand.
Santner, who had removed Rahul earlier, broke the crucial partnership when Pujara drove a full delivery from straight back to the bowler. Bowled with a loopy trajectory the ball slowed down a bit, hitting the rough on the pitch and Pujara mistimed his drive to long-on.
Kohli walked in to a grand reception and started off cracking Santner’s short ball towards the cover boundary. Wagner was brought in to the attack and there was a certain plan at work for the Indian skipper. Wagner, coming over the wicket, banged one short that Kohli (9) got on top of and took a boundary wide of square leg. Wagner then went around the wicket, but the length remained unchanged. Kohli hooked the rising delivery but was cramped for room and the top edge was safely pouched by Sodhi square of the wicket.
The three spinners strung together good deliveries to deny Indian batsmen easy runs and signs of the pitch crumbling made shot making visibly tough. The bowlers’ perseverance paid off when Vijay, batting on 65, went on the back foot to a flatter delivery from Sodhi that he should have gone forward to, managing a feather touch to the wicketkeeper. BJ Watling behind the stumps took a top notch catch and India found themselves at 185 for four in the last over before tea. Ajinkya Rahane fell ceaply for 12 to MArk Craig lobbing a length ball to short leg.
Rohit Sharma and Ashwin then got together for 52-run stand, but once again Santner got in to the act with the wicket of Rohit. The Mumbai batsman threw away his good start with a lazy chip towards mid-on and departed for 35. With the new ball taken, it did not take Boult to make his mark and he first castled Wriddhiman Saha for a duck and had Ashwin caught at slip for 40. He then proceeded to take his third wicket in the form of Mohammad Shami (0). Ravindra Jadeja (11*) and Umesh Yadav (8*) then saw off the day without much trouble.
Brief Scores : India 291/9 (Vijay 65, Pujara 62; Santner 3/77, Boult 3/57) vs New Zealand
Bureau Report
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