PUNE: Indian off-spinner Washington Sundar’s exceptional bowling performance bundled out New Zealand for 259 on the first day of the second Test of the three-match series at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Thursday.
At Stumps on Day 1, India are 16/1 with Shubman Gill (10*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (6*) unbeaten on the crease.
The third session of the Pune Test started when New Zealand resumed their batting from 201/5, with Daryl Mitchell (16*) unbeaten.
Glenn Phillips joined Mitchell at the start of the session. Both batters were able to add just three runs to the total before Mitchell was sent back to the pavilion after scoring just 18 runs for the side.
At the score of 236, Phillips was the next one to fall. The right-hand batter was dismissed at 9 on the bowling off Washington Sundar.
Tim Southee was sent back to the dressing room after scoring just five runs when the team score was 242.
Ten runs later, the visitors lost the wicket of Ajaz Patel as he was cleaned up by Sundar. The Tom Latham-led side was bundled out for 259 as Mitchell Santner was the last one to be dismissed. He went back after scoring 33 runs with the help of three fours and two sixes.
For the Rohit Sharma-led side, the pick of the bowler was Sundar who bagged seven wickets in his spell of 23.1 overs where he conceded just 59 runs and bowled four maiden overs.
Ravichandran Ashwin snapped three wickets in his spell of 24 overs where he gave away 64 runs and bowled two maiden overs.
Trailing by 259, the hosts didn’t have a good start as they lost the wicket of Rohit, who went back without opening his account when the team score was 1.
The opener was dismissed by right-arm seamer Tim Southee who finished his spell on Day 1 at 1/4 in 3 overs.
Following the skipper’s dismissal, right-hand batter Shubman Gill came into bat along with Jaiswal. Before the end of play on the first day of the Pune Test, both batters have built an unbeaten partnership of 15 runs.
Earlier, NZ started the second session at 92/2, with Conway (47*) and Rachin Ravindra (5*) unbeaten.
Conway attacked Jasprit Bumrah in the very first over of the session, getting three fours. He reached his second half-century of the series in 109 balls, with six fours.NZ reached the 100-run mark in 31.4 overs through one of Conway’s classy boundaries.
Conway continued to see off the Indian bowling with confidence and a brilliant temperament, giving Rachin enough time to settle. However, their 62-run partnership was ended with Ravichandran Ashwin getting Conway for 76 in 141 balls, with 11 fours. NZ was 138/3 in 43.2 overs.Daryl Mitchell joined Rachin on the crease. NZ reached the 150-run mark in 48.1 overs, thanks to a massive six over long-on by Rachin against Ravindra Jadeja.
Rachin continued his impressive run in Test cricket, bringing up his fourth fifty in 93 balls, with three fours and a six.
After reaching his half-century, Rachin started to look even more dangerous, collecting two boundaries against Akash Deep, who seemed to be having an off day with a poor economy rate.
Washington Sundar cleaned up Rachin with an absolute peach of a delivery for 65 in 105 balls, with five fours and a six. NZ was 197/4 in 59.1 overs at the end of the 59-run partnership between Rachin and Mitchell.NZ reached the 200-run mark in 61.3 overs. A sharp, turning delivery from Sundar removed Tom Blundell for three. NZ was 201/5 heading into tea break.
Earlier, Ashwin struck twice while Conway took on world-class Indian bowling bravely in an evenly-contested first session on day one of the second Test between India and New Zealand at Pune’s MCA stadium on Thursday.
At the end of the session one, NZ was 92/2, with Conway (47*) and Ravindra (5*) unbeaten.
After New Zealand opted to bat first after winning the toss, openers skipper Tom Latham and Devon Conway gave the Kiwis a cautious start.
Early in the innings, Latham and Conway took on Akash’s pace really well, making him a primary target with four classy boundaries. Jasprit Bumrah was really economic on the other hand.
Things changed with the introduction of spin. Ravichandran Ashwin struck in his first over, trapping Latham leg-before wicket for 15 runs in 22 balls. His knock had two boundaries. Kiwis were 39/1 in 7.5 overs.
Latham continued his poor run against Ashwin, getting dismissed by him for the ninth time in 11 innings, in which he has made just 128 runs against the veteran at a poor average of 14.22.
Will Young joined Conway and NZ reached the 50-run mark in 15.1 overs.
Both were just stitching a partnership, braving some tight bowling from the spin trio of Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. However, Young edged one to Rishabh Pant, giving Ashwin his second scalp. NZ was 76/2 in 24 overs, with Young gone for 18 in 45 balls.
Conway and Rachin Ravindra took NZ through the remainder of the first session without any further loss.
Brief Scores: New Zealand: 259 all out (Devon Conway 76, Rachin Ravindra 65, Washington Sundar 7/59) vs India 16/1 (Shubman Gill 10*, Yashasvi Jaiswal 6*, Tim Southee 1/4). (ANI)