Kanpur: India have taken a 1-0 lead after winning the first of the three-Test series against New Zealand, defeating the hosts by 197 runs, at the Green park in Kanpur.
Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja was named as the man of the match, after he picked up 6 wickets in the match, and also played a crucial role with the bat in both the innings, going on to score a half century in the second one.
While the first two days were edged by New Zealand, India did well to come back and dominate from Day 3 onwards. Ravichandran Ashwin also put in a stand-out performance, picking up a total of 10 wickets in the match. This is the fifth time that the ace spinner has picked up 10 scalps from a single Test.
Indian batsmen Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma also played well in both the innings, showing great concentration and mastery of technique on a difficult pitch.
The hosts go 1-0 up in a best-of-three series, as they look to reclaim the top spot in the ICC Test rankings from arch rivals Pakistan. They need at least a 2-0 series victory to assure them of the top ranking.
India win by 197 runs: While it was a dust-bowl out there at the Green Park in Kanpur, NZ have shown that they can put up a good fight, even on conditions that have a stark difference from what they find at home. The likes of captain Kane Williamson, Luke Ronchi, Tom Latham, Luke Ronchi, and Mitchell Santner have shown that the Kiwis can put up a decent fight on turning tracks. Spinners Santner, Ish Sodhi, and Mike Craig have done well to restrict the Indian batsmen from putting up a big total in the first innings.
However, the Indians also showed great fighting spirit, to come back and dominate the last three days, after some lackluster performance on Days 1 and 2. While spin-twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja did most of the damage to the New Zealand batting lineup, the likes of Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Rohit Sharma shone with the bat. Jadeja has played an important part with both bat and ball.
New Zealand 236 all out from 87.3 overs
WICKET! And its all over, folks! Ashwin wraps up the NZ tailenders, and takes his 10th wicket of the match as well. The carrom ball wins the match for the hosts. He pitched it on the off stump, as the ball took a wicked turn and sent Wagner (0) on the defensive. The ball made contact with his pads in line with the middle stump, and replays suggest that it would have gone on to the leg stump.
New Zealand 236/9 from 83.3 overs
WICKET! Brilliant delivery by Ashwin. Bowls Ish Sodhi round his legs, as the New Zealand man shifts towards the off stump, in an attempt to glance in away to the leg side.
New Zealand 224/8 from 80.3 overs
WICKET! Ashwin strikes again! Takes the big wicket of Santner. The Kanpur pitch is doing all sorts of things now. Ashwin pitched the ball way outside the leg stump, in hope that it will do something from the rough area. The ball takes an awkward bounce, catches the shoulder of Santner's bat, and flies towards Rohit Sharma at gully.
New Zealand 205/7 from 73 overs
LUNCH! The Kiwis had started off well in the first hour of Day 5, but India have reined them back towards the end of the first session of the day's play, in Kanpur. Ravindra Jadeja got the important breakthrough by dismissing Luke Ronchi, who was showing a lot of resilience. India paceman Md Shami then came on to take two quick wickets, something that seems to have restored India's confidence, after a rather poor start to the day. However, Mitchell Santner still continues to put up a strong fight against the Indians, after scoring a hard-earned 50.
New Zealand 196/7 from 69.1 overs
Wicket! Shami picks up another wicket. Knocks Criag's middle stump over, right after Santner completed his well-earned 50. Santner seems to be NZ's only hope now.
New Zealand 194/6 from 68 overs
WICKET! Shami picks up his first wicket of the match. India can sniff that victory now. The Bengal pacer's in-swinger catches Watling (18) on the pad, around the middle stump line. Straightforward decision for the umpire.
New Zealand 158/5 from 56 overs
WICKET! And India get their first wicket of the day, right after the drinks break. Ronchi, who showed great concentration till now, played a loose shot, attempting to play a ball that was pitched outside the off stump, towards midwicket. Ashwin gleefully takes the catch. The lapse in concentration did the Kiwi batsman in.
New Zealand 158/4 from 56 overs
Despite the difficulties, Ronchi and Santner have put up a good resistance against the Indians. They have clearly set out to play throughout the day. However, defence has not been their only motive. They have also punished any loose balls by the Indian bowlers. The contest between the two Kiwi batsmen and Indian spin-twins Jadeja and Ashwin is heating up, on hour into Day 5.
New Zealand 119/4 from 50 overs
The Indian fielders may have laid seige around the bat, but the New Zealand batsmen have done well to play some good counter attacking shot. Ronchi brings up a well-earned fifty, in a difficult time for the Kiwis.
New Zealand 96/4 from 43 overs
Its a rather slow start in Kanpur. While India have launched a full scale spin attack with Ashwin and Jadeja bowling in tandem, New Zealand batsmen Ronchi and Santner are putting up a resilient show. They have clearly set out to defend the entire day.
Preview:
India have the clear advantage ahead of Day 5 of the first of three Tests against New Zealand, at the Green Park in Kanpur, on Monday.
While the first two days of the match were evenly split between the two sides, India came through on Days 3 and four, to take a firm upper hand in the game.
The hosts batted well, to set New Zealand a mammoth 4th innings target of 434 runs. The Kiwis would have to break some records, in order to win this match.
In fact, the highest 4th innings total scored in India is 387, which was notched up by the home side, as they defeated England by 6 wickets at the Chepauk Stadium, Chennai, in 2008. The highest 4th innings total scored in Kanpur is also by India, who notched up 240 runs in a lost cause, against the West Indies, in 1958.
India spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have looked dangerous on a turning pitch, in Kanpur. Most of the New Zealand batsmen have struggled against the spin duo. To add to that, the dismissal of Kane Williamson, arguably one of New Zealand's best players of spin bowling, by Ashwin in the third session on Sunday bodes as an ominous sign for the Kiwis.
Scorecard:
India: 318 all out (Vijay 65, Pujara 62; Boult 3-67, Santner 3-94)
New Zealand: 262 all out (Williamson 65, Latham 58; Jadeja 5-73, Ashwin 4-93)
India: 377/5 dec. (Vijay 76, Pujara 78; Santner 2-79, Sodhi 2-99)
New Zealand: 93/5 (Williamson 25, Ronchi 38 no; Ashwin 3-68)
New Zealand require 341 runs to win.
India need 6 wickets to win.
