Auckland: It looked evenly poised, when India were in the tatters, languishing at 30 for the loss of three wickets. Anyone keeping track of Day 1’s proceedings wouldn’t have been worried, believing if New Zealand could bounce back from 30 for 3 to turn around and post a mammoth total, so can the visitors.
Wrong. There was no miraculous turn around, there were no heroics. At stumps on Day 2, the Indian shoulders were drooping, looking at the 373 runs they needed. For New Zealand, it wasn’t certainly the best starts they would have wanted. However, despite a lost toss and three wickets knocked off, skipper Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson put up a double century partnership to lay the foundation of a fruitful Day 2.
McCullum played a captain’s knock, blazing through to his double century (224 off 307 balls), to power his side through to a commanding total of 503. Partnering with Corey Anderson (77), he took the fifth wicket stand to 133 runs. Although it was, essentially, a day that belonged to the hosts, yet, there was one Indian who bowled his heart out. Ishant Sharma finished with a six-wicket haul, scalping McCullum, Anderson, Walting and Sodhi on Day 2.
India’s beginning couldn’t have been a more disastrous one, with a repeat of India’s infamous top order collapse. With just 10 runs on the board, the Indian were limping with three of its openers packed off to the dressing room. Shikhar Dhawan (0), Cheteshwar Pujara (1) and Virat Kohli (4) were all dismissed even before India’s chase took shape.
India’s hopes are pinned on Rohit Sharma (67) and Ajinkya Rahane (23), who are putting up a brave front despite the sharp ones from the hosts’ Trent Boult and Tim Southee. Murali Vijay played his part scoring 26. Play was called off for the day, thanks to bad light.
The Indians will begin Day 3 staring at a deficit of 373 runs, with only six wickets in hand. The only good news is both the batsmen look comfortable in the middle.
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