New Zealand Bowled Over by Spin
India finished strong before the tea break, and the momentum continued in their favour as Washington Sundar struck immediately after the break, dismissing Daryl Mitchell with a sharp delivery that turned sharply. Joining Mitchell was Mitchell Santner, who, along with Glenn Phillips, aimed to stabilise the innings. Santner came out aggressively, taking on Sundar with a six and a four, applying pressure on the bowler.
However, Ravindra Jadeja maintained a tight line from the other end, making it difficult for Phillips to find scoring opportunities. This struggle ultimately led to Phillips's wicket, with Sundar ending his innings effectively. Tim Southee then joined Santner at the crease but didn’t last long; Sundar bowled him out with a classic off-spinner’s delivery, leaving New Zealand at 242/8. This marked Sundar’s first-ever five-wicket haul in Test cricket, highlighting a fantastic outing for him as he justified his selection over Kuldeep Yadav.
Meanwhile, Santner continued to score positively, hitting boundaries and trying to stabilise the innings. However, Sundar struck again, claiming his sixth wicket in a stunning performance. With just one wicket remaining, Sundar dismissed Santner as well, completing an impressive seven-wicket haul and bowling New Zealand out for 259 all out. This session was a shambles for the Kiwis, as they fell easily to India’s spin attack.
Washington Sundar was undoubtedly the star of the inning. Initially, questions were raised about his selection over Kuldeep Yadav, but he proved his worth, executing classic off-spin deliveries and utilising the pitch effectively. His best spell of 7/59 not only underscored his talent but also cemented his role as a key player in this Test.
India Loses Rohit Sharma Early
India’s innings commenced with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal making their way to the crease, facing Tim Southee with the new ball for New Zealand. It was a quiet start, with both batters cautious as Southee and O’Rourke managed to extract some grip from the pitch. This pressure ultimately led to the dismissal of Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who was bowled by a superb delivery from Southee, hitting the top of the off-stump for a disappointing nine-ball duck—a sight that left Indian fans disheartened.
Shubman Gill then stepped onto the field with just eight overs remaining until stumps. Both Gill and Jaiswal played defensively, blocking almost every delivery in a bid to survive until the end of the day. After a brief spell from the pacers, Tom Latham turned to his spinners, introducing Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner from either end. Both spinners found some grip with the new ball, keeping things tight and creating a few close calls for Gill as Santner bowled with precision.
New Zealand was eager to secure another wicket, but both Gill and Jaiswal managed to weather the storm. India ended Day 1 at 16/1, with the last session favouring them as they performed well with the ball and kept their heads above at the end of the day. New Zealand posted a respectable score, with the pitch showing signs of turn and bounce, setting the stage for an intriguing and crucial first session on Day 2. Stay tuned for more highlights and insights from the India vs New Zealand match!
End of Day 1 ( New Zealand: 259/10, Devon Conway 76(141), Rachin Ravindra 65(105), Washington Sundar 7/59, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/64) (India: 16/1, Shubman Gill 10*(32), Tim Southee 1/4)
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