Recalled duo Matt Henry and Jeetan Patel led a disciplined bowling performance for New Zealand, minus their regular skipper Kane Williamson, as the tourists choked the Indians down on an attritional day of Test cricket here on Friday.
Making good use of a two-paced Eden Gardens wicket that had appreciable carry and bounce, pacer Henry (3/35) and off-spinner Patel (2/66) snared five wickets between them to leave the Indians with plenty of work to do in the second Test.
Henry and Patel were given superb support by lead pacer Trent Boult, third seamer Neil Wagner and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner as the Indians, barring Cheteshwar Pujara 87 (219b, 277m, 17x4) and Ajinkya Rahane 77 (157b, 228m, 11x4), fell prey to the Kiwis' well laid plans. The Indians, whose bowlers will be licking their lips as well, took stumps at a disappointing 239/7 in 86 overs.
Electing to bat on a fresh wicket that had plenty of bite early on, India found themselves on the back foot in the second over itself. A woefully out of form Shikhar Dhawan, given another chance after in-form KL Rahul was ruled out of the series following a hamstring injury, failed to grab his opportunity.
Looking rusty and caught in two minds, the Delhiite was late on his shot and ended up chopping the ball back onto his stumps. Having got the early wicket and sensing the opportunity on a juicy track, lead pacers Boult and Henry went full tilt.
While the impeccable left-armer Boult kept it full, Henry bowled just back of the length to give Murali Vijay and Pujara a torrid time. With a few short balls being thrown in as well, Vijay and Pujara had their task cut out.
Having done the hard work, Vijay then fell to a peach from Henry. After setting up him nicely with his back of length balls, Henry then pitched one up and the ball just curved enough to take the edge off Vijay to keeper BJ Watling.
Skipper Virat Kohli, in the middle of a minor slump, failed to curb his attacking instincts and succumbed to another well laid trap. Like in the first Test match, the Kiwis kept peppering him with the short stuff hoping he plays the hook shot. The skipper showed great restraint there but eventually was dismissed off a full length delivery. After driving Boult to the boundary, he flashed at another one way outside the off-stump, allowing Tom Latham to complete a superb catch at gully.
With the score reading 46/3, India were in trouble but Rahane and Pujara staged a wonderful recovery act. They soaked in the pressure and barring a rash moment from Rahane, they batted with great caution.
They dispatched the bad balls to boundary and offered straight bat to the good ones to frustrate the Kiwis. They made them sweat under the scorching sun, making it through the second session with their wickets in tact.
They opened their shoulders in the post tea session as things looked bright for India. However, New Zealand refused to yield and kept coming at them with the same spirit as they did all through the day.
Pujara, looking good for a century, fell, perhaps, to his first bad shot of the day; driving uppishly off Wagner to be caught at short cover. He walked back disappointed and eight overs later Rahane joined him in the hut, trapped leg-before while trying to play back and across to Patel. The two dismissals changed what could have been India's day despite not much runs on the board. Ravichandran Ashwin struck some blows lower down the order and with the last recognised pair of Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja out in the middle, India will hope for a final thrust.
score board
INDIA (I Innings):
Dhawan b Henry 1
(10b, 6m)
Vijay c Watling b Henry 9
(29b, 50m, 2x4)
Pujara c Guptill b Wagner 87
(219b, 277m, 17x4)
Kohli c Latham b Boult 9
(28b, 42m, 1x4)
Rahane lbw Patel 77
(157b, 228m, 11x4)
Rohit c Latham b Patel 2
(12b, 23m)
Ashwin lbw Henry 26
(33b, 40m, 4x4)
Saha (batting) 14
(22b, 36m, 2x4, 1x6)
Jadeja (batting) 0
(6b, 9m)
Extras (B-8, LB-6) 14
Total (for 7 wkts, 86 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Dhawan), 2-28 (Vijay), 3-46 (Kohli), 4-187 (Pujara), 5-193 (Rohit), 6-200 (Rahane), 7-231 (Ashwin).
Bowling: Boult 16-8-33-1, Henry 15-6-35-3, Wagner 15-5-37-1, Santner 19-5-54-0, Patel 21-3-66-2.![]( "India's Cheteshwar Pujara (R) plays a shot past New Zealand's wicketkeeper Bradley-John Watling. Reuters Photo.")
Recalled duo Matt Henry and Jeetan Patel led a disciplined bowling performance for New Zealand, minus their regular skipper Kane Williamson, as the tourists choked the Indians down on an attritional day of Test cricket here on Friday.
Making good use of a two-paced Eden Gardens wicket that had appreciable carry and bounce, pacer Henry (3/35) and off-spinner Patel (2/66) snared five wickets between them to leave the Indians with plenty of work to do in the second Test.
Henry and Patel were given superb support by lead pacer Trent Boult, third seamer Neil Wagner and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner as the Indians, barring Cheteshwar Pujara 87 (219b, 277m, 17x4) and Ajinkya Rahane 77 (157b, 228m, 11x4), fell prey to the Kiwis’ well laid plans. The Indians, whose bowlers will be licking their lips as well, took stumps at a disappointing 239/7 in 86 overs.
Electing to bat on a fresh wicket that had plenty of bite early on, India found themselves on the back foot in the second over itself. A woefully out of form Shikhar Dhawan, given another chance after in-form KL Rahul was ruled out of the series following a hamstring injury, failed to grab his opportunity.
Looking rusty and caught in two minds, the Delhiite was late on his shot and ended up chopping the ball back onto his stumps. Having got the early wicket and sensing the opportunity on a juicy track, lead pacers Boult and Henry went full tilt.
While the impeccable left-armer Boult kept it full, Henry bowled just back of the length to give Murali Vijay and Pujara a torrid time. With a few short balls being thrown in as well, Vijay and Pujara had their task cut out.
Having done the hard work, Vijay then fell to a peach from Henry. After setting up him nicely with his back of length balls, Henry then pitched one up and the ball just curved enough to take the edge off Vijay to keeper BJ Watling.
Skipper Virat Kohli, in the middle of a minor slump, failed to curb his attacking instincts and succumbed to another well laid trap. Like in the first Test match, the Kiwis kept peppering him with the short stuff hoping he plays the hook shot. The skipper showed great restraint there but eventually was dismissed off a full length delivery. After driving Boult to the boundary, he flashed at another one way outside the off-stump, allowing Tom Latham to complete a superb catch at gully.
With the score reading 46/3, India were in trouble but Rahane and Pujara staged a wonderful recovery act. They soaked in the pressure and barring a rash moment from Rahane, they batted with great caution.
They dispatched the bad balls to boundary and offered straight bat to the good ones to frustrate the Kiwis. They made them sweat under the scorching sun, making it through the second session with their wickets in tact.
They opened their shoulders in the post tea session as things looked bright for India. However, New Zealand refused to yield and kept coming at them with the same spirit as they did all through the day.
Pujara, looking good for a century, fell, perhaps, to his first bad shot of the day; driving uppishly off Wagner to be caught at short cover. He walked back disappointed and eight overs later Rahane joined him in the hut, trapped leg-before while trying to play back and across to Patel. The two dismissals changed what could have been India’s day despite not much runs on the board. Ravichandran Ashwin struck some blows lower down the order and with the last recognised pair of Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja out in the middle, India will hope for a final thrust.
score board
INDIA (I Innings):
Dhawan b Henry 1
(10b, 6m)
Vijay c Watling b Henry 9
(29b, 50m, 2x4)
Pujara c Guptill b Wagner 87
(219b, 277m, 17x4)
Kohli c Latham b Boult 9
(28b, 42m, 1x4)
Rahane lbw Patel 77
(157b, 228m, 11x4)
Rohit c Latham b Patel 2
(12b, 23m)
Ashwin lbw Henry 26
(33b, 40m, 4x4)
Saha (batting) 14
(22b, 36m, 2x4, 1x6)
Jadeja (batting) 0
(6b, 9m)
Extras (B-8, LB-6) 14
Total (for 7 wkts, 86 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Dhawan), 2-28 (Vijay), 3-46 (Kohli), 4-187 (Pujara), 5-193 (Rohit), 6-200 (Rahane), 7-231 (Ashwin).
Bowling: Boult 16-8-33-1, Henry 15-6-35-3, Wagner 15-5-37-1, Santner 19-5-54-0, Patel 21-3-66-2.
Making good use of a two-paced Eden Gardens wicket that had appreciable carry and bounce, pacer Henry (3/35) and off-spinner Patel (2/66) snared five wickets between them to leave the Indians with plenty of work to do in the second Test.
Henry and Patel were given superb support by lead pacer Trent Boult, third seamer Neil Wagner and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner as the Indians, barring Cheteshwar Pujara 87 (219b, 277m, 17x4) and Ajinkya Rahane 77 (157b, 228m, 11x4), fell prey to the Kiwis' well laid plans. The Indians, whose bowlers will be licking their lips as well, took stumps at a disappointing 239/7 in 86 overs.
Electing to bat on a fresh wicket that had plenty of bite early on, India found themselves on the back foot in the second over itself. A woefully out of form Shikhar Dhawan, given another chance after in-form KL Rahul was ruled out of the series following a hamstring injury, failed to grab his opportunity.
Looking rusty and caught in two minds, the Delhiite was late on his shot and ended up chopping the ball back onto his stumps. Having got the early wicket and sensing the opportunity on a juicy track, lead pacers Boult and Henry went full tilt.
While the impeccable left-armer Boult kept it full, Henry bowled just back of the length to give Murali Vijay and Pujara a torrid time. With a few short balls being thrown in as well, Vijay and Pujara had their task cut out.
Having done the hard work, Vijay then fell to a peach from Henry. After setting up him nicely with his back of length balls, Henry then pitched one up and the ball just curved enough to take the edge off Vijay to keeper BJ Watling.
Skipper Virat Kohli, in the middle of a minor slump, failed to curb his attacking instincts and succumbed to another well laid trap. Like in the first Test match, the Kiwis kept peppering him with the short stuff hoping he plays the hook shot. The skipper showed great restraint there but eventually was dismissed off a full length delivery. After driving Boult to the boundary, he flashed at another one way outside the off-stump, allowing Tom Latham to complete a superb catch at gully.
With the score reading 46/3, India were in trouble but Rahane and Pujara staged a wonderful recovery act. They soaked in the pressure and barring a rash moment from Rahane, they batted with great caution.
They dispatched the bad balls to boundary and offered straight bat to the good ones to frustrate the Kiwis. They made them sweat under the scorching sun, making it through the second session with their wickets in tact.
They opened their shoulders in the post tea session as things looked bright for India. However, New Zealand refused to yield and kept coming at them with the same spirit as they did all through the day.
Pujara, looking good for a century, fell, perhaps, to his first bad shot of the day; driving uppishly off Wagner to be caught at short cover. He walked back disappointed and eight overs later Rahane joined him in the hut, trapped leg-before while trying to play back and across to Patel. The two dismissals changed what could have been India's day despite not much runs on the board. Ravichandran Ashwin struck some blows lower down the order and with the last recognised pair of Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja out in the middle, India will hope for a final thrust.
score board
INDIA (I Innings):
Dhawan b Henry 1
(10b, 6m)
Vijay c Watling b Henry 9
(29b, 50m, 2x4)
Pujara c Guptill b Wagner 87
(219b, 277m, 17x4)
Kohli c Latham b Boult 9
(28b, 42m, 1x4)
Rahane lbw Patel 77
(157b, 228m, 11x4)
Rohit c Latham b Patel 2
(12b, 23m)
Ashwin lbw Henry 26
(33b, 40m, 4x4)
Saha (batting) 14
(22b, 36m, 2x4, 1x6)
Jadeja (batting) 0
(6b, 9m)
Extras (B-8, LB-6) 14
Total (for 7 wkts, 86 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Dhawan), 2-28 (Vijay), 3-46 (Kohli), 4-187 (Pujara), 5-193 (Rohit), 6-200 (Rahane), 7-231 (Ashwin).
Bowling: Boult 16-8-33-1, Henry 15-6-35-3, Wagner 15-5-37-1, Santner 19-5-54-0, Patel 21-3-66-2.
Recalled duo Matt Henry and Jeetan Patel led a disciplined bowling performance for New Zealand, minus their regular skipper Kane Williamson, as the tourists choked the Indians down on an attritional day of Test cricket here on Friday.Making good use of a two-paced Eden Gardens wicket that had appreciable carry and bounce, pacer Henry (3/35) and off-spinner Patel (2/66) snared five wickets between them to leave the Indians with plenty of work to do in the second Test.
Henry and Patel were given superb support by lead pacer Trent Boult, third seamer Neil Wagner and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner as the Indians, barring Cheteshwar Pujara 87 (219b, 277m, 17x4) and Ajinkya Rahane 77 (157b, 228m, 11x4), fell prey to the Kiwis’ well laid plans. The Indians, whose bowlers will be licking their lips as well, took stumps at a disappointing 239/7 in 86 overs.
Electing to bat on a fresh wicket that had plenty of bite early on, India found themselves on the back foot in the second over itself. A woefully out of form Shikhar Dhawan, given another chance after in-form KL Rahul was ruled out of the series following a hamstring injury, failed to grab his opportunity.
Looking rusty and caught in two minds, the Delhiite was late on his shot and ended up chopping the ball back onto his stumps. Having got the early wicket and sensing the opportunity on a juicy track, lead pacers Boult and Henry went full tilt.
While the impeccable left-armer Boult kept it full, Henry bowled just back of the length to give Murali Vijay and Pujara a torrid time. With a few short balls being thrown in as well, Vijay and Pujara had their task cut out.
Having done the hard work, Vijay then fell to a peach from Henry. After setting up him nicely with his back of length balls, Henry then pitched one up and the ball just curved enough to take the edge off Vijay to keeper BJ Watling.
Skipper Virat Kohli, in the middle of a minor slump, failed to curb his attacking instincts and succumbed to another well laid trap. Like in the first Test match, the Kiwis kept peppering him with the short stuff hoping he plays the hook shot. The skipper showed great restraint there but eventually was dismissed off a full length delivery. After driving Boult to the boundary, he flashed at another one way outside the off-stump, allowing Tom Latham to complete a superb catch at gully.
With the score reading 46/3, India were in trouble but Rahane and Pujara staged a wonderful recovery act. They soaked in the pressure and barring a rash moment from Rahane, they batted with great caution.
They dispatched the bad balls to boundary and offered straight bat to the good ones to frustrate the Kiwis. They made them sweat under the scorching sun, making it through the second session with their wickets in tact.
They opened their shoulders in the post tea session as things looked bright for India. However, New Zealand refused to yield and kept coming at them with the same spirit as they did all through the day.
Pujara, looking good for a century, fell, perhaps, to his first bad shot of the day; driving uppishly off Wagner to be caught at short cover. He walked back disappointed and eight overs later Rahane joined him in the hut, trapped leg-before while trying to play back and across to Patel. The two dismissals changed what could have been India’s day despite not much runs on the board. Ravichandran Ashwin struck some blows lower down the order and with the last recognised pair of Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja out in the middle, India will hope for a final thrust.
score board
INDIA (I Innings):
Dhawan b Henry 1
(10b, 6m)
Vijay c Watling b Henry 9
(29b, 50m, 2x4)
Pujara c Guptill b Wagner 87
(219b, 277m, 17x4)
Kohli c Latham b Boult 9
(28b, 42m, 1x4)
Rahane lbw Patel 77
(157b, 228m, 11x4)
Rohit c Latham b Patel 2
(12b, 23m)
Ashwin lbw Henry 26
(33b, 40m, 4x4)
Saha (batting) 14
(22b, 36m, 2x4, 1x6)
Jadeja (batting) 0
(6b, 9m)
Extras (B-8, LB-6) 14
Total (for 7 wkts, 86 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Dhawan), 2-28 (Vijay), 3-46 (Kohli), 4-187 (Pujara), 5-193 (Rohit), 6-200 (Rahane), 7-231 (Ashwin).
Bowling: Boult 16-8-33-1, Henry 15-6-35-3, Wagner 15-5-37-1, Santner 19-5-54-0, Patel 21-3-66-2.