Bright and sunny for New Zealand. Cloudy and overcast for India. This atmospheric dichotomy was emblematic of the diverging fortunes witnessed on the first day of the Test match. New Zealand’s rare domination was amplified by a unique set of circumstances—India’s lowest-ever Test total at home, bowled out for a mere 46 at the bowing hands of the visiting side. Given the typically subcontinental conditions, rarely do teams visiting India bring the hosts to their knees as New Zealand did across the initial sessions. This outcome was partly facilitated by the atypical conditions: a pitch covered for nearly two days with moisture and lively grass, which seemed tailor-made for pace bowling.
In a surprising decision, India opted to play three spinners, forgoing the opportunity to take advantage of the conditions with additional seam options, and choosing instead to bat first. As play commenced, New Zealand capitalized on the situation, recalling India’s ill-fated performance in Adelaide, where they were dismissed for a paltry 36/9.
The uncertainty of India’s decision-making was evident from the onset. Star batsmen like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli attempted to outmaneuver the seam movement by advancing down the pitch, while Yashasvi Jaiswal adhered to a more orthodox strategy. Meanwhile, the flamboyant Rishabh Pant stayed true to his unorthodox style of play. Yet, none of their strategies bore fruit. New Zealand’s bowlers, Tim Southee, Will O’Rourke, and Matt Henry, executed their skills adeptly. Southee exploited the conditions with his swing, O’Rourke utilized his height to generate bounce, and Henry peppered the off-stump consistently. Together, these efforts reduced the Indian innings to 10/3.
Hopes of recovery lingered briefly among Indian fans, considering their recent escape from an early collapse against Bangladesh in Chennai. However, this pitch bore little similarity to Chennai’s or Kanpur’s traditional subcontinental surfaces. The unexpected conditions transformed the venue into something closer to the challenging terrains of places like Adelaide.
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, in a reflective post-match interview, admitted to the misjudgment at the crucial toss. “There wasn’t much grass, so we brought in Kuldeep because he’s been successful on flatter pitches, taking wickets. We expected a flatter pitch. Clearly, we misjudged. I didn’t read the pitch well, and we sit in this situation today,” he confessed, expressing the resultant pain.
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In contrast, New Zealand excelled defensively as well. While India’s fielding opportunities were squandered, New Zealand made every chance count. An early edge off India’s batting saw KL Rahul caught by surprise as the ball flew past, allowing New Zealand to secure an early advantage. Fielding lapses compounded India’s woes with edges flying past fielders, missed runouts, botched stumpings, and dropped catches. The occurrence was capped by Pant’s exit from the field when he sustained a knee injury, painting a dismal picture of India’s day of play.
New Zealand’s fortuitous position was as much a result of their shrewd pre-match planning. Like India, New Zealand had intended to bat first, as divulged by their skipper, Tom Latham, during the toss. Yet Matt Henry, thriving in the conducive conditions, pounded the Indian lineup. Having dealt with limited practice opportunities due to rain in Bengaluru, the New Zealand players seemed unfazed by the foreign conditions, which mirrored those back home.
Henry’s Test career has been sporadic, with only 26 caps over nine years. His previous impressive outings remained largely in New Zealand, including consecutive five-wicket hauls against Australia earlier this year. Despite being overlooked for a match against Sri Lanka, Henry has reconciled with such selection calls, appreciating days like these that validate his dedication. Henry’s precision frequently troubled batters throughout the day, securing crucial decisions in his favor early on and maintaining control with lateral movement through the air and off the pitch.
Henry’s partnership with O’Rourke proved fruitful, despite their contrasting styles. While O’Rourke used his height advantage to generate disconcerting bounce and disrupt India’s front foot play, Henry’s seam movement kept things tight. Both bowled a combined 15.2 overs, collectively claiming nine wickets and intensifying India’s struggles.
Reflecting on the day’s play, Rohit surmised, “They made us play every second or third ball. That is what you want to do as a bowling unit in conditions like that. You want to challenge the batter to play as much as possible.”
For Team India, recent memories of victories like the one in Kanpur had fueled their optimism, aiding their standing in World Test Championship points. Yet, the Bangalore Test invoked a starkly different scenario. Although not wholly a sign of doom, the setback temporarily clouded India’s path to their international ambitions, underscoring the whimsical nature of cricket.