It was Even-Stevens as far as the second day’s honours were concerned. But credit must go to the New Zealanders for posting a good total of 365 and then restricting India to 283 for 5 on a wicket that has held firm so far in the second Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
Earlier, an unfortunate run out saw Doug Bracewell return as Zaheer Khan touched a Tim Southee drive and it rolled on to the stumps catching backing up Bracewell centimetres off the crease. If not, the Kiwis might have reached closer to the 400-mark. Yet, in an initial spell of effective swing bowling, where their pacers got the reverse swing as well, they were on top at one point of time as India were reduced to 80 for 4.
But Virat Kohli, unbeaten on 93, and his unbroken stand of 99 for the sixth wicket with skipper M S Dhoni (46 batting) after a breezy 55 from Suresh Raina helped snatch the initiative from the Kiwis and put India in a position of comfort.
As the Kiwis folded up for 365, adding 37 and losing four wickets in 44 minute of morning play, Pragjan Ojha ended up with figures of 5 for 99.
The New Zealand new ball bowlers Trent Boult, Tim Southee (3 for 35) and Doug Bracewell (2 for 66) bowled with a lot of fire and accuracy despite little or no help from the surface. Rarely did they stray so that even Virender Sehwag found it difficult to get going in his usual style.
It came as no surprise when Gauam Gambhir, dropped on 1 by Brendon McCullum in the slips off a thick outside edge that Boult induced, was bowled by Southee, the ball kissing the bails placed on the middle and off stump and knocking it down.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who rarely plays shots of the shorter variety, attempted one and tried to hoist Southee over square leg. But Boult ran in and held a well judged catch to reduce India to 27-2.
Walked in the great Sachin Tendulkar to a roaring reception but that wasn’t even half as he walked off after an hour’s stay at the wicket. He rarely produced the confident strokes he is known for. After flicking Bracewell to square leg for four, he failed to read a faster one from the Kiwi and had his middle stump uprooted with a wonderful yorker.
Sehwag, in the meanwhile, played his slash and miss or swing and connect game to keep the crowd entertained. After flicking Bracewell for four to the square leg fence, he tried an on drive off the next and Daniel Flynn at mid wicket held a diving catch to send him back.
Bracewell struck two lethal blows after lunch and the Kiwis were ready to fly higher. But Kohli and Raina stemmed the rot with a 99-run partnership for the fourth wicket.