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Thu, 24 October 2024
2nd Test, Day 1: India are 16-1 at stumps on Day 1
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16:43 Sundar stars for India with 7 for 59
Ind 16-1 (11 ovs) vs NZ 259 | Scorecard
India played watchfully before reaching 16 for 1 in their first innings, at close of play, on Day 1 of the 2nd Test against New Zealand in Pune on Thursday.
India trail by 243 runs.
Earlier, New Zealand were dismissed for 259 after Washington Sundar did a star turn with figures of 7 for 59. Devon Conway (76) and the inform Rachin Ravindra (65) were the top scorers for the tourists.
Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal came out to bat for India but Southee sent back the Indian captain for a duck, with a peach, squaring him up and knocking back his stumps.
Thereafter, Gill and Jaiswal safely negotiated the spin duo of Ajaz Patel and Mitch Santner till end of play.
Ajaz continues and Gill starts with a dot.
Ajaz then makes a huge appeal as Gill is hit on the pads but the ball seems to be going down.
Gill then defends next. Gill then plays it to mid-off for another dot before the ball goes past Gill's outside edge. Just so close for the Kiwi bowler.
A single to end the over as just the one comes off it. India are 16 for 1 at stumps on Day 1.
Santner continues and Gill plays watchfully.
Gill lets one go through to the keeper without offering a shot and that was dangerously close to the stumps. A single to end the over as just the one comes off it.
Ajaz continues and Jaiswal starts with four dots as Jaiswal is put under some pressure here.
A dot and a four to end the over as 4 come off it. Jaiswal creams the ball through to the covers for a boundary off the last ball of the over.
Spin from both ends now as Santner comes into the attack and Jaiswal starts the over with a single to the leg side.
Gill then plays a dot before he is beaten on the outside edge as it goes past his bat.
A dot next.
Santner then hits Gill on the pads and he makes a big appeal. No one is interested and play goes on.
Gill plays the ball to the fielder for another dot and just a single comes off the over.
Spin introduced now as Ajaz Patel comes into the attack.
He comes around the wicket to Gill who plays three dots.
Ajaz starts with a maiden.
O'Rourke continues, gives a little room and Gill plays it square of the wicket on the off side for a four.
A dot later, Gill takes a single to cover.
Jaiswal plays out three dots as 5 come off it.
Southee continues and after a dot, Gill gets off the mark with a couple to the leg side.
Three dots later, Gill is squared up but his outside edge goes to backward point for a single. 3 come off the over.
16:10 New Zealand all out for 259
Ind 1-1 (4 ovs) vs NZ 259 | Scorecard
Gill is the new man in.
O'Rourke continues and Jaiswal is kept under the pump as he doesn't have the room to free up and play his shots.
Jaiswal happy to let the last one go as he plays out a maiden.
Southee continues and after two dots, Jaiswal takes a single to open India's account.
After two dots, Southee strikes as Rohit is squared up as the ball seams away and beats Rohit's defence and he is out for a duck. India 1 for 1.
Will O'Rourke opens at the other end and Rohit puts on a good defence first ball.
Rohit happy to just defend. He plays a maiden.
Jaiswal and Rohit come out to bat for India while Southee opens the attack for New Zealand and he starts with a maiden as Jaiswal play out the over watchfully.
15:53 Sundar rocks New Zealand with 7 for 59
NZ 259 (79.1 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Washington Sundar put on an inspired performance to take seven wickets for 59 as New Zealand were dismissed for 259 in the third session on Day 1 of the 2nd Test in Pune on Thursday.
The Kiwis were 201 for 5 at tea but Sundar struck early taking out Mitchell.
He then took out Phillips and then Southee to complete his maiden fifer in Tests.
Sundar then took out Ajaz and Santner to end the Kiwi innings and finish with a seven wicket haul.
Ashwin took three wickets. For New Zealand, Devon Conway (66) and Rachin Ravindra (65) were the run scorers.
Sundar continues around the wicket and he bowls a beauty, with grip and turn to have Santner bowled out and have New Zealand all out for 259.
Sundar finishes with figures of 7 for 58 in 17.1 overs.
William ORourke walks in at No 11.
Ashwin continues and after a dot, Santner comes down the track and swings it over long off for a six!
Two dots later, Santner takes a single to end the over as 7 come off it.
Sundar continues and after a dot, Santner plays a single to deep point.
Ajaz then clips the ball over mid-wicket for a four!
A dot ball later, Ajaz defends again.
Ajaz is then bowled all ends up as he goes back to a full ball and inside edges the ball and plays it on. Ajaz out for 4.
Ashwin continues and after three dots, he gets one to spin and bounces and it flies over the keeper for a four for byes.
A dot later, Santner plays the ball to the off side for a single.
15:26 Pressure on New Zealand now
NZ 242-8 (76 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Ajaz Patel is the new man in and he plays five dots and that is a wicket maiden!
Sundar continues and he hits the stumps first ball, comes around the wicket, the ball drifts straight through and knocks Southee's stumps and the bails go flying. Southee is our for 5 and that is a fifer for Sundar.
Ashwin continues and Santner starts the over with a single.
After three dots and a mix-up, Southee comes down and hammers the ball over the bowler for a four.
A single to end the over as 6 come off it.
15:19 Gets a fourth wicket and his best figures in Tests
NZ 236-7 (74 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Southee is the new man in and he gets an edge and gets lucky as Pant puts it down and Sundar misses his fifer.
A dot to end the over as a wicket and a single come off it.
Sundar continues and he gets some turn and bounce first ball.
Santner then gets a single to the off side as he cuts the ball.
After a dot, Phillips plays the ball straight to long off and his struggle in the middle ends as he is out for 9 off 32 balls. Four wickets to Sundar.
Ashwin continues and just two runs come in the over.
15:11 Spinners keep the batters in check
NZ 233-6 (72 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Sundar continues and after two dots, Phillips gets an inside edge through to square leg. Three dots to end the over as just a single comes off it.
Ashwin back in the attack and Santner starts with a dot.
Santner happy to play watchfully as he plays out three more dots.
Ashwin bowls a maiden.
Sundar continues and he gets the ball to skid through, Phillips forced to play from deep into his crease.
A dot later, Phillips gets a huge top edge and the ball falls in no man's land, the batters take a single.
A dot later. Santner takes a single to end the over. 2 come off it.
Jadeja continues and the batters take two singles. Two dots later, Phillips takes a single to long off. A dot to end the over as 3 come off it.
Sundar continues and Phillips plays him watchfully before taking a single off the last ball of the over as just a single comes off it.
Jadeja continues and after a dot, Phillips gets a single
Three dots later, Santner punches the ball through covers for a four! 5 runs come off it.
14:51 Mitchell out for 18
NZ 221-6 (66 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Sundar continues and after three dots, Santner comes down and smashes it through the line over over long off for a six.
Two dots next and Sundar bowls a no ball and he bowls short and Santner cuts it past point for a four as 10 come off it.
Jadeja continues and just two runs come in the over.
Santner is the new man in and the full toss is whipped through the leg side for a four to get off the mark.
Two dots to end the over as 4 runs and a wicket come off it.
Sundar continues and after two dots, Sundar strikes again!
He bowls slower and fuller, the ball turns in to hit Mitchell's pads. Big shout, umpire says not out. Sundar convinces Rohit to take the review. Ball tracking shows it would hit the leg stump and Mitchell is out for 18.
Glenn Phillips is the new man in.
Jadeja continues after lunch and 3 runs come in the over.
14:22 Sundar strikes at the stroke of tea
NZ 201-5 (62 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
New Zealand have reached 201 for 5 at tea on Day 1 of the 1st Test against India in Pune.
Sundar struck two late blows, taking out Rachin Ravindra and Tom Blundell to help India take control.
After lunch, Rachin and Conway were going along well, scoring freely before Ashwin took out Conway.
Rachin and Mitchell then kept the scorecard ticking before Sundar struck twice just before tea to give India the upper hand going into the break.
Sundar continues and after two dots, Blundell and Mitchell take a single each.
Blundell then plays and misses before Sundar turns in on pitching and crashes into the stumps and Blundell is out for 3.
That's tea on Day 1 and New Zealand are 201 for 5.
Jadeja continues and Blundell is in all sorts of trouble as he is struggling to read the bowler.
Blundell then drives the ball to long off for a single.
Two more dots to end the over as just the one comes off it.
14:06 Rachin is bowled with a beauty
NZ 198-4 (60 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Tom Blundell is the new man in and after two dots he gets off the mark with a single.
Two dots to end the over as just a single and a wicket come off it.
Sundar is back in the attack, he comes around the wicket, comes in from wide, turns in and breaks Rachin's defence to knock his off stump bail. Rachin is stunned as he is bowled out for 65.
Jadeja continues and Rachin starts the over with a dot.
Rachin then plays the ball past point for a single.
Mitchell then plays four dots as only one comes off it.
Akash Deep continues and he continues around the wicket and Rachin cuts the short ball past backward point for a four!
Two dots later, Rachin evades a bouncer from Akash.
Wide and short ball next and Rachin gets the outside edge wide of gully for a four.
Rachin ends the over with a single off a leg bye as 9 come off it.
Jadeja continues and after two dots, Mitchell plays the ball to the leg side for a single.
A dot later, Rachin then takes a single before a dot to end the over as just two come off it.
13:49 NZ frustrate India
NZ 185-3 (56 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Akash Deep continues and after a dot, Mitchell takes a quick single.
A dot later, Rachin clips the leg side ball through mid-wicket for a four!
Rachin then flicks the ball and it flies over short mid-on for a four to bring up his 50.
Rachin then takes a couple to the leg side as 11 come off it.
Jadeja continues and three runs come in the over.
Akash Deep back in the attack now and Rachin starts with two dots.
A couple of more dots later, Rachin gets a couple to mid-wicket before a dot to end the over as 2 come off it.
Jadeja continues and Mitchell plays two dots before he opens the face of the bat and plays it for a single.
Rachin then plays the ball to mid-wicket for a single.
Mitchell sees the off the over safely as just two come off it.
Ashwin continues and after a dot, Rachin gets a single to backward square leg.
A dot later, Mitchell reverse sweeps and he gets a single to deep backward point.
Rachin then plays two dots as 2 come off the over.
Jadeja continues and after two dots, Mitchell takes a couple to cover.
A dot later, he gets a single before Rachin gets a thick edge and the ball goes third man where Jaiswal puts in the chase and stops the ball to keep it down to 3. 6 come off the over.
13:24 Rachin-Mitchell building solid stand
NZ 159-3 (50 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Ashwin continues and Mitchell starts with two dots before clipping one to mid-wicket for a single.
Rachin then swings the ball to cover for a single.
A later, Mitchell takes a single to end the over as 3 come off it.
Jadeja continues and Rachin gets the pitch of the ball and hammers it for a six over long on.
Rachin then plays three dots before getting a couple to the leg side.
A dot to end the over as 8 come off it.
Ashwin continues after the drinks break and after a dot, Rachin gets a single.
Mitchell then gets a single as the ball comes off his forearm.
Rachin then swings and misses.
Rachin then guides the ball past gully for a single.
A dot to end the over as 3 come off it.
13:14 India need another wicket to have control
NZ 145-3 (47 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
India have struck in the first hour after lunch with Ashwin taking out opener Conway for 76.
Mitchell has looked bit suspect since coming in to bat but New Zealand's hopes will now rest on Rachin Ravindra who is looking in fine flow.
Jadeja continues and after a dot, Mitchell and Ravindra take a single each.
Mitchell then plays a defensive shot before being beaten. A dot to end the over as 2 come off it.
Ashwin continues and Mitchell is being tested here as he plays three dots.
Ashwin then speaks to Pant as he appeals but Rohit doesn't review as Mitchell is hit on the pad.
Mitchell then takes a single to long on.
A dot to end the over as just 1 comes off it.
Jadeja back in the attack and after three dots, Rachin steps out and plays it softly past the bowler for a single.
Mitchell then sweeps it to backward square leg for one.
A dot to end the over as 2 come off it.
13:01 Conway out for 76
NZ 140-2 (44 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Daryl Mitchell is the new man in and he steps out first ball and that is a dot.
Mitchell then gets off the mark with a single to backward point off a reverse sweep.
Rachin plays a dot before ending the over with a single to end a successful over for India as a wicket and 3 runs come off it.
Ashwin continues and Rachin starts the over with a single.
Ashwin bowls a short and slow ball next, Conway plays at it, gets an edge and is caught behind. He is out for a well made 76 and Ashwin picks his 3rd wicket.
Sundar continues and Conway plays a controlled reverse sweep to start the over with a boundary.
Five dots to end the over as four come off it.
Ashwin continues and he bowls his first maiden of the innings as Rachin plays him watchfully.
Sundar continues and the Kiwi batters are happy to just turn it around for the singles as 3 come off it.
12:47 NZ scoring freely after lunch
Sundar continues and after four dots, Rachin gets a single.
NZ 130-2 (40 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Ashwin back in the attack for the first time after lunch and after two dots, Rachin and Conway take a single each.
Rachin then plays the ball in to the pitch and it goes over the leg side fielder and the batter gets a single.
A dot to end the over as 3 come off it.
Sundar continues and after a single to Rachin, Conway plays a dot before he reverse sweeps it for a four!
A dot later, Conway drives the ball through the off side for a couple as the umpires take a few looks in and deem it a couple.
A dot to end the over as 7 come off it.
Bumrah continues and after two dots, Rachin drives the ball to the off side for a single, where Rohit fields well to keep it down to just one.
Two dots later, full toss and Conway drives it past backward point for a four as 5 come off it.
A dot to end the over as just a single comes off it.
12:32 New Zealand bring up their 100
NZ 114-2 (36 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Bumrah continues and Rachin plays two dots.
After five dots, Rachin sneaks a single to end the over as just the one comes off it.
Sundar continues and he gives two runs in the over.
Bumrah continues and Rachin starts the over with a dot as he defends.
Rachin then is made to play as Bumrah gets one to hold the line.
Another dot later, Rachin is happy to be watchful.
Rachin then squeezes out the yorker, running between the two slips for a four. A dot to end the over as 4 come off it.
Sundar continues after lunch and Rachin is happy to play him watchfully the first three balls before turning the ball around the leg side for a couple.
Rachin then gets the inside edge to the leg side to get a single.
A dot to end the over as three come off it.
Bumrah continues after lunch and Conway starts the session with a superb cover drive off a half volley to bring up his half century.
Two dots later, Conway punches the ball through the off side with a four to bring up New Zealand's 100.
Conway then guides the ball through slips for a four. A dot to end the over as 12 come off the opening over post lunch.
11:40 Rachin, Conway see off Jadeja, Ashwin
NZ 92-2 (31 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
In what can be called a shared session, New Zealand put 92 for 2 at lunch on Day 1 of the 2nd Test against India in Pune on Thursday.
Conway and Latham faced an early Test from Bumrah and Akash Deep but saw off the pace attack safely.
Ashwin drew first blood when he had Latham out LBW.
Sundar and Ashwin found some turn but not much to trouble Young and Conway who fought back and kept the runs flowing scoring at over 3.5 runs per over.
India got the 2nd wicket against the run of play when Sarfaraz forced Rohit to take the review and the ultra edge showed Young had gloved the ball to Pant.
Jadeja troubled Conway a little but he and Rachin played watchfully as New Zealand went into the dressing room the happier team at the lunch break.
Sundar back in the attack just before lunch and he comes around the wicket to Conway who defends the first two balls down safely.
Conway then gets a thick inside edge to square leg for a single.
Rachin then plays two dots before a loud shout for LBW is shot down by the umpire and that is lunch on Day 1.
Ashwin continues and he gets some big turn and Conway gets a thick outside edge that flies past the slip fielder for a single.
A dot later, Rachin gets another dot as the ball turns.
Rachin then plays the ball to fine leg for a single.
A dot later, Comway takes a single down the ground to end the over as 3 come off it.
Jadeja continues and Conway starts the over with three dots.
Two dots later, he whips the ball to the leg side for a single. Just the one comes off it.
Ashwin continues and Rachin creams the ball down the ball for a single.
Conway then gets a single down the leg side off a leg bye.
Rachin then scampers for a single to mid-on.
Ashwin then has Conway playing and missing, going just past his outside edge.
A dot later, Conway takes a single to the off side to end the over as 4 come off it.
Jadeja continues and Conway starts the over with a single.
Rachin then plays a dot before he plays the ball to the leg side for a single.
Jadeja then bowls a no ball.
Conway then ends the over with three dots as 3 come off it.
11:16 Sarfaraz urgers Rohit to tale the review and Ashwin gets his 2nd
NZ 80-2 (26 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Ashwin continues around the wicket to Conway who starts with a dot.
Turn and bounce for Ashwin as he bowls as slower one and it goes past his outside edge.
Two dots later, Conway gets a single to square leg. A dot to end the over as 1 comes off it.
Rachin Ravindra is the new man in.
Jadeja continues and he hits Conway right in front, Rohit takes the review and India lose the review.
Conway plays another dot before Conway gets a single as the ball runs between his legs and wide from the fielder.
Rachin gets a ripper first ball as the ball goes just past his outside edge.
Rachin then gets off the mark with a single.
Conway ends the over with a single as 3 come off it.
Ashwin continues and Young is beaten first ball and another dot later, Young plays it past the non-striker for an easy single.
Conway then gets a single to the leg side.
Young then defends the ball for a dot.
Young then plays the ball to the keeper, Sarfaraz goes up in appeal, Ashwin unsure, Rohit takes the review. Ultra edge shows there was a brush off the glove and Sarfaraz is right and India take the second wicket.
Young out for 18.
Jadeja continues around the wicket to Young who starts the over with three dots.
Young then drives the ball past the bowler and mid-off for a single.
Conway then plays a dot before he gets a couple off byes to fine leg. 3 come off the over.
Ashwin continues and Conway starts with a dot before he gets a single down the ground.
A dot later, Ashwin bowls a full ball for a dot.
Young plays the ball to the leg side for another dot.
Young clips the ball to short fine leg and completes a tight single.
2 come off the over.
Jadeja brought into the attack now and Conway is tested as the fielders put in the dives to deny the batter.
Half volley next and Conway reverse sweeps and it goes wide of gully for a four!
Conway then clips the ball to the leg side for a single as 5 come off it.
Ashwin continues and he gives three in the over.
Sundar continues and Conway starts the over with a single.
Young then plays watchfully before he tries to guide the ball but misses.
A dot later, Young cuts the wide and short ball for a four as 5 come off it.
10:47 Conway, Young keep the scorecard ticking
NZ 56-1 (18 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Ashwin continues and Young punches the ball through covers for a single.
Conway then comes down the track and plays it to mid-wicket for a single.
A misfield by Kohli allows Young a single to deep midwicket.
Two dots later, Conway plays the ball to the leg side and scampers for a single as 4 runs come off it.
Sundar continues around the wicket to Conway and he gets some grip and turn and the batter is left clueless.
Conway is put to the test here and he plays out a maiden.
Ashwin continues and he gives three singles in the over as the 50 comes up for New Zealand.
Sundar continues after the drinks break and Young survives a tight over. That is a maiden.
10:34 Conway, Young steady visitors
NZ 49-1 (14 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Ashwin continues and comes around the wicket to Conway and that is a dot.
Ashwin then hits Conway on the pads and that is a dot.
Conway then sweeps the ball as he picks it from the off stump and gets a four to fine leg.
Two dots to end the over as 4 come off it.
Sundar continues and Conway plays the ball past gully for a single as the ball spins away on pitching.
Young then plays three dots before one comes off the pad and Sarfaraz appeals for a catch at short leg.
A dot to end the over as 1 comes off it.
Ashwin continues and Young starts with a dot.
Ashwin then beats the batter as he tries to cut the ball.
A dot later, Young flicks the ball to backward square leg for a couple.
Short ball and some bounce and Young punches the ball off the back foot for a four through point.
A dot to end the over as 6 come off it.
Sundar continues and Conway then creams the ball through the off side for a couple.
Two dots later, Sundar gets sharp turn and it beats Conway's bat and the off stump.
Conway then cuts the ball for a single.
Young plays the ball to mid-wicket for a single as 4 come off it.
Young on strike as Ashwin continues and he comes around the wicket and he gets some turn first ball.
After a dot, Young goes into his crease and whips the ball to square leg for a single.
Conway then drives the ball to long off for a single.
A dot later, Young is caught in his crease as be gets some turn and beats the batter on the inside edge as it thuds into his pads.
2 runs come off the over.
Sundar replaces Bumrah at the other end and he starts with a maiden as Conway sees him off safely.
10:15 Latham gone for 15
NZ 32-1 (8 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Young is the new man in and he starts with a dot as a wicket and 2 runs come off it.
Spin introduced by Rohit Sharma as Ravichandran Ashwin comes into the attack.
Latham plays two dots before he plays the ball to square leg for a single.
Conway then plays the ball to mid-on for a single.
Ashwin strikes! He comes around the wicket and pitches the ball around leg stump, straightening and Latham plays the wrong line and is caught on the pads in front of his stumps and he is out LBW for 15. India strike early.
Bumrah now comes around the wicket to Latham who plays the ball to covers for a single.
Conway playing away from his body then defends the ball down.
Conway gets his hand off the bat and the ball goes to the leg side and he gets a couple.
He then lets the next one go through to the keeper for a dot.
Conway puts in a more confident defence next and Bumrah bowls a good length ball/
Conway then ends the over with a four as he meets the ball on the full and the wide ball is played it past the cover fielder to the boundary as 7 come off it.
Akash Deep continues and Latham is happy to let it go.
In coming ball next and Latham plays it to the onside and takes off for a quick single.
Conway comes over the wicket and after a leave down the leg side, Conway gets an outside edge and the ball runs past slip and gully for a four!
Akash Deep then gets one to nip back in and the ball goes past Conway's bat and pad, big appeal from the bowler but he gets no support from his teammates. A dot to end the over as 5 come off it.
Bumrah continues and Conway continues to look suspect as he gets a leading edge towards point. A dot later, Conway defends the ball down for another dot.
Conway then lets the next one go through to the keeper. Two dots and that is another maiden for Bumrah.
09:51 Bumrah on the money
NZ 18-0 (4 ovs) vs Ind | Scorecard
Akash Deep continues around the wicket to Latham and after a dot, Latham is a bit squared up and the leading edge goes to cover and he gets a single.
Conway then plays and misses. No ball called for overstepping.
A dot later, Conway is off the mark with a four, overpitched ball, angling in and the batter just creams it through mid-off for a four!
Conway then gets a single to the off side.
Latham then clips the incoming, full ball through mid-wicket to end the over with a boundary as 11 come off it.
Conway takes strikes finally and Bumrah bowls a beauty that shapes away after pitching on the leg stump, Conway's edge just millimetres away, what a ball!
Conway then plays four dots as he starts to look a lot more assured.
And another dot to end the over and that is the first maiden of the morning.
Akash Deep opens at the other end and he comes around the wicket to Latham and he lets it go to the keeper.
Latham then gets an outside edge and the ball goes past gully for a boundary. The first boundary for New Zealand there.
Akash Deep gets more late movement again.
Conway knocks the ball around for a couple of dots.
And a dot to end the over as 4 come off it.
Tom Latham and Devon Conway will open the batting for New Zealand while Jasprit Bumrah opens the attack for India and he starts with one that moves away, Latham lets it go.
Bumrah then bowls one to Latham down the leg side.
Latham then gets underway with a clip to square leg for a couple.
Latham then lets the next one go.
Latham then plays the ball down for a dot.
Latham then plays the ball down to fine leg for a single as 3 come off the opening over.
Welcome to the updates from Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and New Zealand starting in Pune on Wednesday.
India will look to bounce back on a sunny Pune morning.
The hosts have made three changes in this Test with KL Rahul, Mohd Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav making way for Shubman Gill, Akash Deep and Washington Sundar.
New Zealand have one change with Mitchell Santner coming in for the injured Matt Henry.
09:08 India make three changes as Rahul axed
New Zealand captain Tom Latham has won the toss and opted to bat, on Day 1 of the 2nd Test in Pune on Thursday.
India have made three changes with KL Rahul, Mohd Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav making way for Shubman Gill, Akash Deep and Washington Sundar.
Playing XIs:
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand: Tom Latham(c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell(w), Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, William ORourke
The pitch report from the middle says that the track is batsmen friendly with lots of assistance to spinners and the team that wins the toss should opt to bat first.
Jolted by an unexpected loss on home turf, India will look for the right balance as they aim for a series-levelling victory against a resilient New Zealand in the second Test, starting in Pune from Thursday.
After being shot out for an embarrassing 46 in the first innings of the Bengaluru Test, India's resolute show in the second innings could not prevent an eight-wicket pounding which saw the hosts in the World Test Championship table dropping points even though it continues to hold the top spot.
Winning the next two Tests will be first priority for Rohit Sharma and his men before they hit the Australian shores for a high-profile five-Test series next month.
India's free-flowing batters cut a sorry figure when William O'Rourke and the seasoned duo of Matt Henry and Tim Southee served a wake-up call which no one saw coming on a pace-friendly track that was admittedly misread by Rohit despite overcast conditions.
Preparing a rank turner could be one way out of the mire but it has backfired on India twice in the past.
Australia hammered them by a monumental 333-run margine eight years ago while the same team handed them a nine-wicket defeat in Indore last year.
With Shubman Gill priming for a comeback, one among K L Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan will have to make way. Coach Gautam Gambhir has expressed his desire to give the latter a long rope but Sarfaraz has made a strong case with his second innings 150 in Bengaluru.
One could say a big score for each of the two seniors, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, is around the corner. The latter, especially, would be keen to draw from his 254 not out in Pune in 2019-20, which paved the way for an innings and 137-run thrashing of South Africa.
By his own lofty standards, Yashasvi Jaiswal endured twin failures in the Bengaluru Test and the young batter looked to iron out his flaws when he had multiple stints in the nets.
As much as the Indian camp values Rahul's credentials in Test cricket, the right-handed batter hasn't looked his best and runs haven't come off his bat on a consistent basis.
The Karnataka batter is locked in the fight for a spot against a red-hot Sarfaraz, who followed his 222 not out in the Irani Cup for Mumbai with a superlative 150 in the first Test in Bengaluru, helping India fight against all odds.
Rishabh Pant kept wickets for a short period towards end of India's training session on Tuesday but it remains to be seen if he is 100 per cent fit to endure match workload.
Ravichandran Ashwin will look to make the most of what will be on offer over the next five days, with Ravindra Jadeja in tow.
The addition of Washington Sundar, who can spin the ball away from New Zealand's southpaws in captain Tom Latham, Devon Conway and the immensely talented Rachin Ravindra, would also bolster India's batting.
On their part, New Zealand have done fairly well given the absence of Kane Williamson from two of the three Tests on this tour. Will Young appeared resolute in the middle-order which features Ravindra's brilliance.
New Zealand will, however, expect more off Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell's bats and at the same time want the others to try and emulate Southee's feats in the first innings of the opening Test.
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