The First Test of the New Zealand tour of India has unfolded dramatically, with Indian batsmen finding themselves in a precarious position as they head into the lunch break on Day 2.
Choosing to bat first, the Indian batting line-up has struggled to establish a foothold against a disciplined New Zealand bowling attack.
The Indian batsmen faced pressure as they attempted to settle in, but the New Zealand bowlers were relentless, exploiting every opportunity.
In particular, the swing and seam movement on offer provided a challenging environment for the top order.
After a difficult start, India was reeling at 42 for 9 after just 26 overs, leaving the team in dire straits, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj were on crease.
Five Indian batsmen returned to the crease on a duck
Yashasvi Jaiswal managed to contribute 13 runs off 63 balls before being caught by Patel off O'Rourke's bowling.
Captain Rohit Sharma had a frustrating outing, bowled by Southee for just 2 runs off 16 balls.
Star batsman Virat Kohli was dismissed without scoring, caught by Phillips off O'Rourke after facing 9 deliveries.
Sarfaraz Khan followed suit, also failing to get off the mark as he was caught by Conway off Henry's bowling for a mere 3 runs.
Ravichandran Ashwin faced a challenging outing in the First Test against New Zealand, where he was dismissed for a duck.
Rishabh Pant's innings came to an end as he was caught by Latham off Henry's bowling for a valiant 20 runs from 49 balls.
The woes continued for India as KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were dismissed for 0 runs each, caught off the bowling of Henry and O'Rourke, respectively, with Rahul's dismissal coming after just 6 balls and Jadeja’s after 6 balls as well.
On the other hand, New Zealand bowlers showcased exceptional skill and control, with Matt Henry leading the attack by claiming four wickets for just 13 runs in 11 overs.
Tim Southee also made a significant impact, taking one wicket while conceding only 8 runs in his 6 overs.
William O’Rourke complemented their efforts, picking up three wickets for 18 runs in 9.1 overs, demonstrating a disciplined and effective bowling performance.
Day 1 of the match was called off due to rain.
