New Zealand Dominates India on Day 2 of Opening Test

New Zealand has taken full control over India on Day 2 of the opening Test at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, despite Kuldeep Yadav claiming a late wicket on Thursday.

At the conclusion of the second session, New Zealand had scored 82/1, with Devon Conway and Will Young remaining unbeaten at 61 (64) and 5 (7), respectively. Towards the end of the session, Kuldeep Yadav provided the much-needed breakthrough for India, offering some relief as New Zealand appeared poised to run away with the Test match.

As play resumed after lunch, Ravichandran Ashwin edged a delivery straight to Glenn Phillips, giving Matt Henry his fourth wicket of the day. Henry and William ORourke wreaked havoc on India’s strong batting lineup in Bengaluru, dismantling the tail end and forcing India to finish with a paltry total of 46, marking their lowest score in the format on home soil.

New Zealand’s Strong Response

In response, Devon Conway started confidently, making the pitch look entirely different from the one India had batted on. He took on the bulk of the scoring and executed a couple of classic strokes with precision, effectively neutralizing the threat posed by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the initial overs.

Looking to shift momentum, captain Rohit Sharma brought in spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav, but it was New Zealand that maintained control after the second session.

Earlier in the day, Tim Southee set the tone by getting Rohit Sharma out, beating the inside edge and knocking the top off the leg stump. With the Indian skipper back in the dugout for just 2 runs, Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal attempted to stabilize the innings under challenging conditions.

India’s Struggles Continue

The relentless deliveries from New Zealand’s pacers continued to trouble the Indian duo, leading to a gripping contest between bat and ball. New Zealand’s aspirations for a dream start turned into reality as Kohli departed without scoring, marking his first duck in 32 innings, with his last coming against the same opponent in 2021 at Wankhede.

ORourke silenced the crowd at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, extracting extra bounce and catching Kohli by surprise. The Indian stalwart attempted to defend the ball but ended up gloving it to Glenn Phillips, who took a stunning catch coming in from leg gully.

With Kohli joining Rohit in the dressing room after a 9-ball duck, India’s woes escalated further in the next over. Sarfaraz Khan, seizing his much-anticipated opportunity, was dismissed for a three-ball duck as he edged the ball, which Devon Conway caught in a spectacular effort at extra cover.

Brief Respite for India

Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal managed to ease the pressure by forming a 21-run partnership before rain briefly interrupted play, allowing India to regroup. Tom Blundell dropped an easy catch, providing Pant and the Indian team a moment of relief.

With a couple of boundaries and growing confidence, Jaiswal attempted a powerful shot towards backward point but misjudged the placement. Ajaz Patel leaped to make a remarkable catch, ending Jaiswal’s innings.

KL Rahul entered the fray but was quickly greeted by ORourke, who forced a catch that rattled the Indian batsman. ORourke capitalized on this momentum in his next over, luring Rahul into a mistake that resulted in another catch to Blundell’s left. With Rahul becoming the third Indian batter to register a duck, Ravindra Jadeja soon followed, marking the fourth duck for India after a miscalculated shot sent him back to the pavilion for a six-ball duck.

Jadeja’s dismissal concluded the first session, prompting the umpires to call for lunch, with India’s scoreboard reading 34/6.

Brief Score

India: 46 (Rishabh Pant 20; Matt Henry 5-15, William ORourke 4-22)
New Zealand: 82/1 (Devon Conway 61, Tom Latham 15; Kuldeep Yadav 1-15).

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