New Zealand fast bowlers, spearheaded by the relentless Will O’Rourke (3/13), took full advantage of the overcast conditions to dismantle a struggling Indian batting line-up, leaving them at a dismal 34 for six by lunchtime on the second day of the opening Test on Thursday. Rishabh Pant (15 off 41 balls) was left batting after Ravindra Jadeja (0) was dismissed just before the break. The first day’s play had been washed out due to rain.
Will O’Rourke, Henry and Southee left India with an embarrassing 55-year first. 34 was the lowest for India at the fall of the 6th wicket at home since 1969. The previous lowest was 27 runs against New Zealand at Hyderabad.
With the rain clearing, Indian captain Rohit Sharma opted to bat under the thick, grey skies, but his team struggled. Rohit himself was the first to go, falling for just 2 after 15 balls when he aimed for an aggressive drive, only for Tim Southee’s sharply turning delivery to uproot his stumps.
India’s batters fail
Before highlighting the troubles of the Indian batsmen, it’s important to note Matt Henry’s impressive opening spell, which caused significant issues for the Indian line-up. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, trying to counter the swing by positioning himself out of the crease, faced numerous near misses against Henry. Despite several moments of uncertainty, the left-handed Jaiswal displayed some grit to stay at the crease.
Virat Kohli, batting at an unusual No. 3, was dismissed quickly after nine balls. New Zealand’s captain Tom Latham introduced Will O’Rourke, who wasted no time in capturing Kohli, whose attempted jab at a rising delivery deflected off his gloves to Glenn Phillips at leg gully.
Sarfaraz Khan, stepping in for the injured Shubman Gill, was aggressive from the outset but paid the price. On just his third ball, he tried to hit Henry over mid-off but was caught spectacularly by Devon Conway, eliciting laughter from Henry.
At 10 for three, India’s position was precarious, and they needed a significant boost. A brief rain delay from 10:27 AM to 11:05 AM seemed to help India regain some composure. Pant, who had been dropped on 7 by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell off O’Rourke, finally secured India’s first boundary of the day with a well-executed cover drive in the 12th over’s fifth ball.
However, Jaiswal’s cautious innings ended without reward as he fell to O’Rourke, with Ajaz Patel completing a brilliant catch at point off a powerful cut shot. Dismissals of KL Rahul (0), caught down the leg side by Blundell off O’Rourke, and Jadeja further pushed India into a corner, leaving Pant to attempt a rescue in the second session.
