A brilliant half century on debut from Shreyas Iyer along with fifties from Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill saw India take control of proceedings on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur. While Gill ensured the morning went India’s way, Kyle Jamieson’s three wickets helped the visitors claw back into the contest. However, just as NZ smelt a chance to get more wickets after a good afternoon session, Iyer and Jadeja’s 113-run unbeaten partnership put the hosts back in control.
Iyer remained unbeaten on 75 while Jadeja added 50 of his own to the cause before the umpires called Stumps early due to bad light. India finished Day 1 with the score at 258/4 with Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara and Gill being the batters dismissed.
Electing to bat first at the Green Park Stadium which was engulfed in a lot of fog and smog, India started off in edgy fashion as Mayank Agarwal played and missed outside the off stump in the early stages while Shubman Gill survive an LBW decision in the third over of Tim Southee.
Mayank (13) however could not settle in and Kyle Jamieson, who constantly probed the off-stump channel, got his first wicket as the opener edged it to keeper Tom Blundell in the eighth over.
With Cheteshwar Pujara for company at one end, Gill endured a tricky period as the duo of Southee and Jamieson looked for another scalp in the first hour. Gill had luck on his side when he was on 6 as he escaped another lbw shout in the first over of Ajaz Patel.
After that, Gill went through the gears, playing some elegant shots and finding the fence and also stepping down the track with authority to go downtown for a six. Pujara at the other end kept working the New Zealand bowlers around in his inimitable manner, keeping India on top in the morning session.
Just before the Lunch break, Gill completed his fourth Test match fifty as India finished the morning with the score at 82/1, firmly in control of proceedings.
In the first over after of the second session, New Zealand struck as Jamieson went through defenses of Gill to knock over the woodwork, sending him back for 52, just as he was looking to build further.
The tall Jamieson continued trouble Pujara and captain Ajinkya Rahane however the duo picked him off for a boundary each through off-side in the 34th over. Ajaz Patel continued to leak runs as Rahane and Pujara took a boundary each off him in the 37th over. But in the next over, Southee had his first wicket of the match when Pujara (26) pressed forward to defend outside the off-stump, only for the ball to take an outer edge to the keeper for a clean low catch.
After that, Rahane hit some crisp boundaries through the off-side, with the one through cover off Jamieson being the standout. But in the 50th over, the tall pacer had the last laugh as Rahane (35) chopped onto his stumps, undone by the low bounce.
Iyer, who was almost caught out while going for a big shot early in the innings, got two boundaries and survived a close lbw shout off off-spinner William Somerville as well before seeing off the session with Ravindra Jadeja.
After the Tea break, Iyer and Jadeja needed to get a partnership going if India wanted to be in control of proceedings and on cue, the duo took charge in the final session.
While Jadeja dropped anchor at one end, Iyer, who is well known to score at good pace in red ball cricket domestically, slowly started to grow in confidence and trouble NZ bowlers.
After a brief spell of being watchful in the final session to start with, Iyer started to accelerate, finding the fence with relative and also smashing Ajaz Patel over wide long on for a six. In the 68th over of the innings, Iyer brought up a well deserved half-century as the hosts started to get on top of their opponents yet again in the day.
Iyer continued to keep scoring at a good nick while Jadeja at the other end had slowly moved on and was eyeing his fifty as well.
The Kiwis found it tough to break the partnership which was motoring along as they put on a century stand for the fifth wicket. NZ took the second new ball as soon as it was available but Jamieson and Southee could not get in a spell as they desired due to bad light.
However, soon after the new ball was taken Jadeja picked off two boundaries off Jamieson in grand style before completing his half century. At the other end Iyer smashed William Somerville for a six in the 84th over before the umpires drew stumps.
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