After producing a nervous start on a breezy morning in Wellington, India could still not reach a break in the post-Lunch session, as they lost half their side after the drinks break in the second session. A cagey Rishabh Pant found his way out of early trouble to keep Ajinkya Rahane company, as India managed just 44 runs in the second session.
A bout of start-stop showers right at the stroke of Tea break ensured there would be no further play, as even repeated inspection didn’t bring about the chance for resumption.
The second session cautiousness was down to what had transpired in the second half of the morning session, as debutant Kyle Jamieson took out Cheteshwar Pujara with peach and then placed out the tried-and-test fifth stump line snare and absorbed Virat Kohli into it.
Mayank was unconvincing but efficient in placing a cover on the fall of wickets while Rahane started hustling and dispensed good feet move to neutralize any LBW chances against the fast bowlers to get going. There was a big innings-reviving partnership to be had but the New Zealand bowlers had other ideas.
India’s post-Lunch position was partially their own doing. Having taken the first session loop when New Zealand consistently penetrated through their pacers, Mayank Agarwal fell to a rather soft dismissal when he top-edged a leg-side short ball from Trent Boult to Jamieson at fine leg. Up until then he and Ajinkya Rahane had shored up the Indian innings after Jamieson’s double burst.
There was yet some hope for a revival as Hanuma Vihari joined forces with Rahane, who was beginning to settle in and dealing rather easily with the extra bounce that the Basin Reserve track offered. But Jamieson wasn’t done rattling the visitors as once again, he struck right after the drinks break when India seem like they’d started to regain control. To Jamieson’s credit, he continued with his attacking lines, from wide of the crease. An angle in a full-length ball to Vihari brought about the No.6 batsman’s end as he was made to play at it and edged it behind to Watling.
Playing ahead of Saha, who’d gained back his position in the home series versus South Africa, Rishabh Pant was put beneath the pump straight away as the uncomfortable bounce that Jamieson created had the left-handed batsman in pain.
Pant unconvincingly defended good length balls and looked all at sea, but rode the wave eventually to get to Tea break on 10 off 37 balls. At the other end was Rahane, who brought his away reputation to the fore and blunted New Zealand’s attack from one end. He batted a lot slower in the second session, but that was down to Mayank and Vihari’s dismissal more than his own cautiousness, as he finished on an unbeaten 38 off 122 at the break, which coincided with the arrival of showers.
Brief Scores: India 122/5 (Ajinkya Rahane 38*; Kyle Jamieson 3-38) vs New Zealand
