Kanpur, Nov 26th : .ShreyasIyer scored a hundred on his debut to support India.
However, Tim Southee’s five-wicket win, followed by half-centuries from openers Will Young & Tom Latham, saw New Zealand take the lead at the end day two of the first Test at Green Park Stadium.India were bowled out for 345 by New Zealand in 57 overs at stumps.
New Zealand was 129/0 in 57 runs, trailing hosts by 216 runs. Many wouldn’t have guessed that Southee would be the wrecker-in chief when India resumed the day at 258/4.This was especially after he had walked out of Day One’s second session with a groin complaint.Southee’s bowling performance of 11 overs was enough to take the thunder away from Iyer’s maiden Test hundred.
Things didn’t go according to plan for Southee who had his opening game against Ravindra Jadeja ruled out due to an lbw appeal.Southee, however, broke the 121-run gap between Iyer & Jadeja with his next over.
The latter ripped onto his stumps with no foot movement and departed without adding to his overnight score.
Iyer, on his part, started where he left off on Day One and caressed two boundaries from Kyle Jamieson’s first over.
Jamieson was unable to stop Iyer, who continued to perform well against him.Iyer managed to get boundaries through a thick edge between slip fielder and wide gully fielder, followed by an elegant cover drive.The 26-year old scored his maiden Test century by scoring two runs against Jamieson in the 92nd Over.He became the 16th Indian batsman (tenth at-home) to score a century in Test debut.
He was also the second Indian batsman to score a Test hundred after Gundappa Viswanath, who played against Australia in 1969.
Southee continued his run through the Indian batting order as Wriddhiman Sha caught behind to keeper Tom Blundell at the 93rd over.
Ravichandran Ashwin temporarily halted his rhythm by taking consecutive boundaries from him.After a drinks break, Southee took his third wicket as Iyer hit a drive from the body to cover.Southee then finished his second five-wicket haul by scoring one to Axar Patel.He was then drawn into a poke and nicked behind the keeper.
Ashwin continued his counter-attack by taking a boundary from Southee as well as Jamieson.Ashwin, along with Umesh Yodav, ensured that India didn’t lose more wickets before lunch.
Ashwin was bowled out by Ajaz Patel after the break.The ball turned sharply from the outside leg-stump.Patel took Ishant Sharma out for a run, trapping him plumb lbw.Sharma took the review, but replays showed that the ball hit top of middle stump and leg stump.New Zealand won the match with six wickets for 87 runs.
After skitttling out India, New Zealand had no choice but to fight the bat.Latham Young and Young did a great job.The duo made a steady, but nervy start.They survived the first spells of Umesh Yadav (Ishant Sharma) though there were some close calls.Latham was able to survive an appeal by Sharma for an lbw in the third over, but DRS had an advantage on the pads.
Young began to make a move by striking two boundaries against Yadav in just two overs.He also comfortably swept Ravichandran Ashwin over square leg.Six overs later, he was confident in using his feet to drive down Ashwin’s ground.Young was able to get a drive over the mid-off mark before going to tea with Axar Patel’s copybook drive through covers.
Young became more aggressive after tea, while Latham remained content at the other end.Young reached his half century with a thick outer edge that rolled past Umesh Yadav in the 28th over.Young continued to score runs against Yadav.He hit consecutive boundaries square of the wicket on the off-side and used his feet admirably against the spinners.
In the 39th over, Latham ran Ravindra Jadeja out of the field at mid-wicket.This made it the century run for the opening partnership.
India decided to take a DRS against Young because Young was clearly out of the game.
After the drinks break, the ball did a lot to help the Indian spinners, but not enough for them to make a breakthrough.
In the 56th over Ashwin had Latham caught behind, but the opener was able to reverse the decision from the inside edge.New Zealand won the game by the time stumps were drawn.
This was due to their openers’ ability to absorb the pressure and remain rock-solid, while Southee outplayed the Indian batters with his mastery in swing.
Brief scores: India 345 runs out in 111.1 innings (ShreyasIyer 105, Shubman Gil 52, Ravindra Jadeja 50), against New Zealand 129/0 in just 57 overs.(Will Young 75 not-out, Tom Latham 50 not-out)
IANS
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