After dismantling a formidable Indian batting line-up for just 46 runs, their lowest total at home and the third lowest in Test history, New Zealand’s batters, led by Devon Conway, have placed themselves in a dominant position with a lead of 131 runs and seven wickets remaining.
India’s collapse was set in motion by a brilliant five-wicket haul from Matt Henry, alongside four wickets from the impressive William O’Rourke.
India’s decision to bat first in overcast conditions raised eyebrows and ultimately resulted in a failure. The gloomy atmosphere necessitated the use of floodlights from the very first ball, with a lively pitch and a New Zealand seam attack adept at exploiting swinging conditions.
It felt as though India were testing their limits but they failed to meet the challenge. Lacking a clear game plan, the Indian batters were no match for the Kiwi bowlers. With the new SG ball in hand, New Zealand’s pacers were relentless. Tim Southee’s removal of Rohit Sharma marked the beginning of the collapse and Virat Kohli soon followed, leaving India in a precarious position at 9 for 2. The Indian batting line-up crumbled dramatically from 9 for 2 to 46 all out, with five players being dismissed for ducks and only two managing to reach double figures, and the highest score being a mere 20.
Henry and O’Rourke were exceptional, particularly Henry, who was making a comeback to the team. They skillfully moved the ball both ways with remarkable precision. O’Rourke extracted extra bounce from the pitch, while Henry consistently bowled in the corridor of uncertainty.
New Zealand entered the final session without losing a wicket. Openers Tom Latham and Conway appeared confident and well-organised, forming a solid partnership that laid the foundation for the middle-order. As the sun broke through, batting conditions improved significantly, allowing the two openers to score briskly.
Conway, taking a proactive approach, fell just nine runs short of a well-deserved century. He was instrumental in two partnerships over fifty runs, first with Latham and then with Will Young. While the Indian pacers bowled well, they were unable to take any wickets; all three that fell were taken by spinners — Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin each claiming one. India’s fielding left a lot to be desired, with KL Rahul dropping a catch and Rohit missing chances. Rishabh Pant missed a couple of stumping chances as well.
Brief scores: India 46 all out (Rishabh Pant 20; Matt Henry 5/15) vs New Zealand 180/3 (Devon Conway 91; Ravindra Jadeja 1/28). Stumps, Day 1.