Kanpur: Notwithstanding the second wicket partnership of 112 runs between Murali Vijay (65, 170b, 8×4) and Cheteshwar Pujara (62, 108b, 8×4) India ended the first day of their historic 500th Test on a disappointing note against the Kiwis at the Green Park here Thursday. Electing to bat after winning the toss, the hosts were 291 for nine at stumps with Ravindra Jadeja (16 batting) and Umesh Yadav (eight batting) at the crease.
The hosts were comfortably placed at 154 for one at one stage but lost the plot quite dramatically during the post-tea session.
A disciplined bowling effort from the Black Caps complemented by some inept shot selection by the middle and lower-order saw four wickets falling for 16 runs after the second new ball was taken.
While left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner (3/77) rocked the top-order, it was Trent Boult (3/57) who caused panic with the second new ball dismissing Ravi Ashwin (40, 76b, 7×4), Wriddhiman Saha (0) and Mohammed Shami (0) in quick succession. Rohit Sharma (35) once again got a start but again fell when he looked set for a substantial contribution on pitch which assisted the spinners to some extent but could not be termed a ‘rank turner’.
In an important phase in his Test career, Rohit was expected to fire and he showed some early promise before trying to chip one off Santner over mid-on but holed out to Ish Sodhi. 
Boult, in his final spell of the day, got rid of Saha and Shami off identical deliveries that jagged back in from three-quarter length breaching their defences. Ashwin got one that was full and kicked up from good length as he gloved it to Ross Taylor at wide second slip.
It was left-arm spinner Santner, who removed prodigious KL Rahul in the morning session and later broke the second-wicket stand between Vijay and Pujara to open the window for his side.
Wagner bowled his heart out in the second session and was rewarded with the prized wicket of Indian captain Virat Kohli who tried to hook, but could only hole out to Sodhi running in from deep square-leg.
Five minutes before the tea, Vijay tried to cut a shortish delivery from leg-break bowler Sodhi but managed a faint edge and was taken by stumper BJ Watling.
New Zealand began the third session with Sodhi (1/50) and off-spinner Mark Craig (1/59) operating in tandem. Rohit punished Sodhi with a six over the deep mid-wicket that raised India’s 200 and followed it up with a boundary on the off-side. But Craig saw the back of Ajinkya Rahane (18) getting him caught by Tom Latham at forward short leg.
Earlier the morning session and 45 minutes into the post lunch session were dominated by Vijay and Pujara. Both played some elegant drives on both sides of the wicket and when the spinners dropped short cut the ball with disdain.
Santner however, provided the crucial breakthrough but it was a soft dismissal as Pujara committed to a shot with the ball stopping on him offering a simple return catch.
Vijay attributes collapse to wrong shot selections
Indian opener Murali Vijay admitted Thursday that some of his teammates were guilty of playing loose shots to let go the advantage in the first Test against New Zealand here but asserted that the hosts have put up a fighting total to make a game out of it.
Vijay top-scored for the hosts with a 65 but himself played a poor shot and was caught behind. Apart from him, skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s poor shot selection also resulted in wickets.
Asked if it was lack of application from the batsmen or the wicket that resulted to India losing the advantage, Vijay said, it was a ‘bit of both’.
“We got out to poor shots as well and wicket was deteriorating as well, so we really got to be patient on this wicket. It’s a lesson learnt and hopefully we can put up a better show in the second innings,” Vijay said at the press conference.
The Tamil Nadu opener however, said that despite losing wickets in a heap, India were in a ‘good position’. “We have put some runs on the board. What we have got to do now is go there and put pressure on them (New Zealand). It’s a good total to play around with,” he said with confidence.
“We have our plans, the wicket is on the slower side and it is going to be difficult to score runs. That is what I have experienced on the first day, so it’s going to be difficult for them as well more so with the quality of (Ravi) Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja in the side,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kiwi left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner stated that in spite of losing the toss his side is in a good position. “From now on we can only build on the collapse suffered by India,” informed Santner. “They did start well and we were extremely lucky to have pulled back things at the end of the day’s play. Now we have to really build the innings together when we bat,” he added.
Press Trust of India
