By BD Narayankar
Bengaluru, Oct 17 (UNI) New Zealand was in a commanding position in the first test against India at Chinnaswamy Stadium here by finishing the day two at 180/3 in the first innings, establishing a significant lead of 134 runs on Thursday.
India’s dramatic batting collapse earlier in the day, where they were bowled out for a paltry 46, handed the visitors a golden opportunity to dictate the course of the match.
The highlight of New Zealand’s innings was Devon Conway’s authoritative knock of 91 off 105 deliveries. Conway, who fell just nine runs short of a well-deserved century, was the anchor of New Zealand’s innings, playing with composure and skill against both pace and spin. His innings was laced with 11 boundaries and three towering sixes, as he dismantled the Indian bowlers with calculated aggression.
Conway shared important partnerships, including a 75-run stand with Will Young (33), which helped New Zealand build a solid platform after a slightly cautious start.
India’s bowlers, led by Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, managed to claim wickets at key moments, but the breakthroughs came too infrequently to disrupt New Zealand’s momentum. Kuldeep Yadav provided the first success when he trapped Tom Latham for 15.
Ravindra Jadeja provided the second success when he dismissed Young with a flighted delivery that trapped him LBW for 33. Ashwin then bowled Conway, who had been the backbone of New Zealand’s innings, with a delivery that turned just enough to beat the left-hander’s shot.
However, New Zealand continued to press on. Rachin Ravindra, who remains unbeaten on 22, and Daryl Mitchell (14*) safely guided their team to the close of play, with New Zealand’s run rate hovering around 3.6.
Despite the occasional turn and bounce for the Indian spinners, the pitch appeared more benign in the afternoon session, making it easier for the New Zealand batsmen to score freely.
India’s decision to bat first, despite overcast skies and a moisture-laden pitch, backfired spectacularly. India were 13/3 after rain delayed the play for 25 minutes, but India’s batsmen found no respite from New Zealand’s relentless bowling attack. The conditions, perfect for seam and swing bowling, were expertly exploited by Matt Henry and William O’Rourke.
Henry was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with outstanding figures of 5 for 15 in 13.2 overs. He bowled with precision, extracting movement both in the air and off the pitch. O’Rourke, who claimed 4 for 22, was equally menacing, troubling the Indian batsmen with sharp pace and bounce.
The Indian batting lineup folded quickly, with five of their top-order batsmen, including captain Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, failing to open their accounts.
Rishabh Pant, who attempted a counterattacking approach, offered brief resistance with 20 off 49 balls but fell shortly after lunch, edging a delivery from Henry to second slip. Once Pant was dismissed, India’s tail folded swiftly, with the last four wickets falling for just 12 runs. The hosts were bowled out for 46 in just 31.2 overs, marking their third-lowest total in Test cricket history.
With a significant lead already in hand and seven wickets still in the bag, New Zealand will look to press home their advantage on Day 3. The pitch, while still offering some assistance to the spinners, has eased out considerably, allowing New Zealand to bat with confidence.
India, on the other hand, face an uphill task. Their bowlers, particularly Ashwin and Jadeja, will need to strike early and restrict New Zealand from building a massive first-innings lead. The onus will also be on the fast bowlers to utilise any remaining moisture in the morning session and provide breakthroughs.
For India, the margin for error is now minimal. They need to wrap up New Zealand’s innings quickly and then stage a remarkable turnaround with the bat to avoid the risk of an innings defeat. New Zealand, in contrast, are firmly in the driver’s seat, and with three full days remaining, they’ll aim to pile on more runs and push for a victory that could potentially come within four days.
The match, at this point, is heavily skewed in New Zealand’s favour, and India will require a near-miraculous comeback to salvage anything from this Test.
