A resilient half-century by Devon Conway, who narrowly missed a century with his score of 91, was the perfect complement to a sensational bowling display from New Zealand. The bowling, spearheaded by Matt Henry with figures of 5-15 and William O’Rourke with 4-22, has placed the visitors firmly in control on the second day of the first Test against India, being held in Bengaluru. The foundations for New Zealand’s dominance were laid in the morning session when Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s decision to bat first backfired disastrously against a menacing bowling attack.
The conditions over the stadium appeared quite conducive to swing, with overcast skies and a moist pitch aiding the New Zealand seamers. Henry and O’Rourke, along with seasoned campaigner Tim Southee, used the conditions astutely. Despite dominating the early exchanges with several close calls, it took over 30 minutes for the first wicket to fall. It was Southee who broke the deadlock, uprooting Rohit Sharma’s stumps with a beautiful delivery that nipped back sharply, triggering a collapse for India as they crumbled.
Sensing an opportunity, O’Rourke seized the moment with aggressive intent, and Henry followed in tandem. The duo overwhelmed India’s batsmen, reducing what is usually a formidable line-up to rubble. Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan, both showing moments of vulnerability, succumbed to O’Rourke without troubling the scorers. Kohli, batting at No.3, fell to a delivery that reared up unexpectedly, offering a catch to leg slip, while Sarfaraz was penalized for a poorly timed shot, brilliantly snatched out of the air by Conway at mid-off.
New Zealand’s fielding was immaculate, complementing their relentless bowling attack. KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin all departed for ducks, victims of the relentless movement and consistency displayed by the bowlers. Though Rishabh Pant showed some resistance, he too eventually gave in after a brief life at the crease, once even dropped before being dismissed.
. Henry and O’Rourke ensured that India’s famed tail had no way to revive the innings, dismissing them for a mere 46 – their lowest team score in Asia to date.
After routing India, New Zealand capitalized with the bat, led by Conway who played a vital innings. Although initially struggling against the class and fire of Jasprit Bumrah, Conway held firm and displayed resilience. Captain Tom Latham, with his composed presence, supported Conway, but the latter was the primary aggressor, especially against Ravi Ashwin’s spin.
As the day wore on and the conditions leveled out, batting became manageable. However, India’s low first innings total left their bowlers under immense pressure, tested further as Ashwin and Jadeja restored some balance late on. After Latham fell LBW to a Kuldeep Yadav delivery via a successful review, Will Young stepped up to fortify New Zealand’s stance alongside Conway with a 75-run partnership. Each Indian bowler managed to snag wickets, but New Zealand’s lead maintained its strength.
In a twist as the day neared conclusion, Ashwin claimed Conway with the first delivery of a new spell, while Jadeja induced a top-edge from Young, giving India a semblance of hope. However, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell quelled further damage, putting on a solid and unbeaten partnership to close the day’s play.
Both Mitchell and Ravindra exhibited positive intent at the crease, maintaining the scoring tempo and ensuring New Zealand ended the day with a lead of 134 runs. Their proactive batting approach was facilitated by Conway’s earlier counterattack, which solidified New Zealand’s dominance.
The visiting team will aim to extend their lead significantly, knowing that the track may offer more challenges as the game progresses. Eyes now turn to the crucial third day, where New Zealand will look to fortify their position further, with the added complication of an uncertain weather forecast threatening to disrupt play. Despite the dicey conditions predicted, the cricket on display so far promises an engaging contest as both teams battle to assert their supremacy.