Kanpur, Nov 28, : .India has set a target for New Zealand at 284 after declaring their second innings at 224, 7 runs in 81 overs on Sunday’s first Test at the Green Park Stadium.
India will be trying to get a chance at the touring openers, including spinners, with 13 overs remaining on day four. India reached 51/5 in 19.4 runs.India managed to extend the innings and lead through a brilliant recovery performance by ShreyasIyer, Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin, giving India a chance of winning against New Zealand.
Ashwin and Iyer weathered the New Zealand pacers’ havoc by mixing aggression with caution and collecting boundaries.They took their partnership to the sixth wicket after lunch.
Kyle Jamieson struck on the second ball in his first over.This ended Ashwin’s gritty stay at crease with a back-of-a-length delivery rolling to the stumps, after it ricocheted off his front pad.New Zealand continued to hold the line after Ashwin’s fall.Wriddhiman Sha took a four (sweep), and six (slog–sweep), respectively, from William Somerville in his 49th over.
Iyer, who was careful while protecting and rotating the strike, stepped out for a six to Ajaz Patel.He reached his half-century after batting 109 balls.
This was the first Indian bat to reach a century in the first innings, and then follow it with a half-century on debut.
Iyer continued his impressive performance by hitting two boundaries against Patel, as New Zealand’s spinners were unable to penetrate India’s spinners.
Iyer smashed the first ball through the middle wicket against Southee.The 64-run stand came to an abrupt halt at the end of tea with the loss of the next ball.
Iyer tried pulling Southee, but an inner edge of the glove fell behind to Blundell, ending a great knock.
India began the final session, with Saha and Patel each collecting a boundary from Jamieson.
Southee tried to replicate the Ravindra Jadeja setup with Patel, but the left-hander drove down the ground as Saha glanced at him through fine leg.
The duo displayed good application and continued to bat, despite taking unnecessary risks.This kept New Zealand frustrated.Saha reached his sixth Test half-century by scoring a brace against William Somerville.Patel raised the half-century mark of the partnership with a clean slog through deep mid-wicket off Ajaz Patel.
Saha and Patel put on a stand totalling 67 runs in order to surpass 280 when declaration was taken.
New Zealand had earlier beaten India’s batting and left the hosts at 51/5 after 19.4 overs.As New Zealand were somewhat loose, Cheteshwar Pujara & Mayank Agarwal contributed 18 runs to the overnight score at 14/1.
The tourists quickly corrected themselves as Kyle Jamieson took out Pujara in the 12th over with a short ball down leg.He gloved behind keeper Tom Blundell.New Zealand reviewed the decision, which was later overturned after replays confirmed that the glove edge was correct.
Ajinkya Rahane drove Ajaz Ptel through extra cover in 15 overs.Patel got the last laugh when he caught Rahane in the wicket with a quick slider.
Shreyas and Mayank Agarwal each hit a streaky boundary until Tim Southee joined them in the wicket-taking celebration.
Southee was rewarded in the 20th over for his persistent streak with a double-wicket maiden.Agarwal was first attracted to Southee’s attention.He then forced a thick outer edge from his bat to the second slip.Tom Latham completed the catch.
Two balls later, Southee caught Ravindra Jadeja with an inswinger to duck.Jadeja won the review, but replays showed that the ball crashed into the leg-stump.On a pitch that was weary, Iyer, Saha and Ashwin kept New Zealand at bay.
Brief Scores: India 345 (ShreyasIyer 105, Tim Southee 5,/69) and 234/7 in 81 runs (ShreyasIyer 65, Wriddhiman Sacha 61 not out), Kyle Jamieson 3/40 (Tim Southee 3/75), vs New Zealand 296 (Tom Latham 95; Axar Patel 5/62).
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