Rahane | AP
KOLKATA: The newly relaid Eden Gardens pitch was one of the many talking points of the first day’s play of the second Test. As the pitch was revealed from beneath the covers, there was a greenish tinge to it. It was a wicket that had something for everyone. And, despite the green turf, batting first on this pitch was a no-brainer.
Matt Henry replaced Ish Sodhi due to the greenish nature of the strip. Henry hit his stride almost as soon as he was handed the ball, and Trent Boult got it to move as well. Playing three pacers meant that New Zealand didn’t have to rely on their spinners too much.
Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 77 to steady India’s innings after initial jitters, said the wicket was “two-paced”, contrary to their expectations. “We didn’t expect a two-paced wicket. We felt it will be very good for batting. Generally it’s flat and good for batting. Today, there was something for the fast bowlers. All credit to them.”
Rahane blamed himself and Pujara for not being able to carry forward the momentum and ensure a bigger partnership. Loose shots akin to the Kanpur Test were the downfall of many an Indian batsmen.
“We had a few soft dismissals, but our partnership was crucial. Pujara and I will take the blame as we both were set. It was our responsibility to carry the innings forward. A batsman just needs one ball to get out. But, if we could have scored a century, our position would have been much stronger.”
After losing the plot post tea by losing four wickets in a bid to accelerate, Rahane said: “Maybe we lost our concentration. We lost two extra wickets. Five wickets would have been ideal. Defence is always important on a turning track. No one will get you out if your defence is solid. That’s why we batted so strongly in the post-lunch session. But in the last session, we felt that it was the only opportunity where we could score freely, as the ball was old and the bowlers were all tired.”
