New Zealand in India 2024/25, IND vs NZ 1st Test Match Report, October 16 – 20, 2024

India 34 for 6 (Pant 15*, O’Rourke 3-13, Henry 2-12) vs. New Zealand

It was worth the wait. On their seventh day of Test cricket in India this year, New Zealand finally took to the field on the second day in Bengaluru and lost a good toss. Denied their desire to bat first under overcast skies and on a packed pitch for the week, New Zealand’s seam bowlers swarmed India with lethal bowling, reducing India to 34 for 6 in the stop-start session.

It was seen in the first overs that the ball was moving more than the teams expected. New Zealand started with just two slips but tightened the rope. India was now reacting instinctively and not with mental preparation to lead. Their natural instinct was to attack. Jaiswal played the first drive to the 12th ball he faced after Tim Southee challenged him. Rohit Sharma survived Henry’s close call on the umpire’s call but tried to charge Southee and sent him back over his head. The wobble-seam ball bounced back to take it up the leg.

With Shubman Gill absent due to a stiff neck, Virat Kohli moved to No. KL Rahul, who is the only Asian opener who has spent years in Australia, England and South Africa.

Another surprise in the batting order followed when Sarfaraz Khan came in at number 4, a position he does not even play in domestic cricket. It took just three balls for him to attempt a drive in the air, swinging to be caught by Devon Conway at mid-on, diving to his right and catching it behind his body. A fair reward for Henry, who drew an average seam movement of 1.3 degrees in the first session.

Rain paused at 13 for 3 in 12.4 overs without a single boundary. India accounted for only 62% of the deliveries during this period. The bowling was unsympathetic: about half of it was good length, only a few were full without being half-volleys.

In theory, the break should be good news for the bowling team as their bowlers are ready for more spells but here they ran out of luck. The first ball after the break was a half volley, which brought India their first boundary. Soon Tom Blundell brought down a sitter from Rishabh Pant, and the batsmen either played or missed or the edges flew wide. The bowling has also lost a bit of consistency.

Finally the fourth wicket came off no deliveries, but a mid-on shot by Jaiswal, who made 13 for 63, managing just 42. before lunch for a duck, and Ravindra Jadeja followed up with a brilliant performance that produced an edge leading to what appeared to be the last ball of the session.

Pant, however, went unbeaten on 15 off 41 despite playing 18 shots.