On a Green Park pitch that offered something for both sides on the first day of the series, honours were split, although New Zealand must make a positive start when they get the chance to bat against India‘s fantastic spinners. Join The Roar for live scores of Day 2 from 2pm (AEST).
After winning the toss and electing to bat, regularly seen to be a death blow for the opposition on the sub-continent, India have put themselves in a solid position, but will be disappointed not to have more runs on the board.
At stumps on Day 1, they had reached the score of 9/291, and although it is not a typical sub-continent pitch with it offering a little bit of something for everyone, they would have liked more on the board, or to be less wickets down at any rate.
India were certainly made to work hard for their runs though, with the New Zealand attack led by Tim Southee and Trent Boult regularly taking wickets and bowling consistent lines and lengths all day long.
Nonetheless, given the quality of cricket on Day 1, New Zealand are now in a position where they must bat well when they get the opportunity or face a daunting fourth innings run chase.
Despite the nature of the wicket, any fourth innings run chase of quantity on either Day 4 or 5 in the sub-contintent is near on impossible, so they must find a way to take a lead on first innings and return the pressure to India.
Given Boult and Southee only bowled 31 overs between them though, and that New Zealand went with three spinners the pitch is definitely going to disintegrate and it’s an area where India have them covered.
Mitchell Santner was the pick of the bowlers for the Kiwis, taking three wickets, even if he was a little expensive while Mark Craig and Ish Sodhi contributed well.
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara were the best for India, scoring 65 and 62 respectively at the top of the order to get them off to a fantastic start as they piled on 114 for the second wicket.
The key battle on Day 2 looks to be that of Kane Williamson, who is likely to bat at four for the Black-caps, against the Indian spin leader Ravichandran Ashwin.
It promises to be a fascinating battle, and if Williamson is to work him over he will take the Kiwis a long way towards a first-innings lead.
Day 2 Prediction
India won’t have many runs left in them, so New Zealand will be able to bat most of Day 2. Expect a similar day of cricket to today, but the runs to be a fraction harder to come by and the Kiwis to still be trailing and in a little bit of strife at stumps.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of Day 2 from 2pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
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