Amidst plenty of expectations, India’s home season comprising of as many as 13 Tests kick started at Kanpur with the added historical weight of 500 stamped all over it. Despite the stadium named ‘Green Park’, the lushness was restricted only to the outfield as a traditional subcontinental turner awaited New Zealand.
Skipper Virat Kohli won a crucial toss and hence had the luxury of avoiding to bat last on a surface which was expected to deteriorate as the overs trickled by. Despite a solid start to the innings, the question marks surrounding their batting lineup’s ability to pile on formidable totals remained as India could only manage 318. Having gotten themselves to 159/1, the Kiwis let slip the momentum by collapsing in a heap to spin.
Buoyed by securing a handy lead, the hosts’ batsmen operated with much more efficiency in the second innings to set a daunting target for the Blackcaps. Truly up against it, New Zealand perished once again to the turning ball as India stormed their way towards a 197-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Let’s take a look at who did what to influence the fascinating contest.
India
Ravichandran Ashwin – 8.5
Undoubtedly one of the most valuable players in Tests at the moment, the tall off-spinner from Tamil Nadu added another feather to his cap by becoming the second quickest bowler ever to complete 200 wickets. By getting rid of the seemingly immovable Kane Williamson in both innings, Ashwin reiterated his class and also sealed the deal with a six-wicket haul during the second dig.
Ravindra Jadeja – 8.5
Possessing metronomic accuracy, Jadeja did not do any wrong to his burgeoning reputation as a menace under Indian conditions. The left-arm spinner was the pick of the bowlers during the first dig with a five-for and sustained the pressure in the second by not giving an inch to the opposition. With the bat, his handy cameos bolstered the home team’s credentials down the order.
Cheteshwar Pujara – 8
Arriving into the match on the back of an amazing run of form in the Duleep Trophy, Pujara made significant strides towards reestablishing himself as a dependable batsman at the pivotal number three spot. Though he scored fifties in both innings, the right-hander could not build upon them and reach three figures which should keep him hungry for the rest of the series.
Murali Vijay – 8
Forming hundred-plus partnerships in both essays with Pujara, the reliable opener also eked out twin fifties. Despite the circumstances testing his temperament, he did not veer away from his usual watchfulness and set a solid foundation from the top of the order. However, the loose shot in the first innings which ended a deft knock may not please him at all.
Rohit Sharma – 6
With his place in the Test team under immense scrutiny, the elegant stroke-maker looked like getting into the groove during the opening day before throwing it all away by virtue of an incomprehensible stroke. He did manage to chip in with an attacking half-century when India were seeking quick runs in the second innings.
KL Rahul – 6
Eager to adhere to the aggressive dynamics of the ‘Kohli Era’, Rahul attempted to go down the Virender Sehwag route. But, he was not able to harness his instincts and succumbed to lapses in concentration after getting off to strong starts. In close-in positions, the 24-year old’s catching did not exactly inspire much confidence.
Mohammed Shami – 6
Aware that his job might be restricted to a few overs at the start of the innings before coming back if reverse-swing was on offer, Shami showed glimpses of operating at full throttle with the rapid old-ball spell in the second innings highlighting his value to India’s bowling attack.
Wriddhiman Saha – 5.5
Even though he fell prey to an unplayable delivery from Trent Boult without troubling the scorers, the wicket-keeper batsman redeemed himself by continuing his dexterous work behind the stumps especially against the two different types of spinners.
Umesh Yadav – 5.5
Being preferred over Bhuvneshwar Kumar for his propensity to extract reverse-swing on these abrasive tracks, the strongly-built pacer sent down 15 overs in the first innings and accounted for Martin Guptill whilst keeping things quiet as well.
Ajinkya Rahane – 5
Offering stability in the middle-order, the diminutive Mumbaikar could not reach his usual lofty standards due to slight errors in judgment. By playing predominantly on the front-foot, he exposed his plan to the Kiwi spinners who duly capitalized.
Virat Kohli – 4
Walking into the middle amidst raucous cheers from a partisan crowd, Kohli flattered to deceive by taking miscalculated risks in both innings. Apart from the declaration which might have raised a few minor apprehensions, his captaincy remained spot-on for the most part.
New Zealand
Mitchell Santner – 7.5
Possessing a calm head on his shoulders, the 24-year old chipped in with earnest contributions in both departments of the game. A rearguard half-century in the second innings indicated his vast potential as a viable all round option. However, his bowling might still require substantial improvement if he were to outsmart well-set batsmen and leave a mark on conducive pitches.
Luke Ronchi – 7
Although his spot in the eleven did not appear to be sturdy before the start of the tour, Ronchi forced his way in with a manic century in the warm-up match against Mumbai. Having adopted a more conservative approach in the first innings, he came into his own during the second by registering the highest individual score (80) in the match from either side after being dropped on six by Vijay.
Kane Williamson – 7
With the Test series billed as the battle between himself and his rival skipper, Williamson showed why he was a notch above Kohli in cricket’s traditional format by judging the length assuredly on a difficult pitch against even more penetrative spinners. Following a robust effort in the first innings was cut short by a vicious delivery from Ashwin, he perished once again to the off-spinner’s wiles.
Trent Boult – 6.5
Under humid conditions which would have made most visiting seamers give up mentally, the left-armer managed to impress by displaying his adaptability on a surface which offered virtually nothing to his style of bowling. If the spell on the first day was any indication, then the Indian batsmen would do well by not taking the attention off him in the subsequent matches.
Tom Latham – 6
Among the positives for the Blackcaps, the left-hander batted with remarkable solidity at the top of the order for someone who did not have any prior experience on playing in India. Smothering the turn by staying on his back-foot, Latham’s utilization of soft hands earned him a fighting fifty in the first innings.
Neil Wagner – 5.5
The workhorse in New Zealand’s stable of quicks, Wagner’s whole-hearted approach would endear him to almost every captain. Extracting discernible bounce, his spell to set-up a purposeful Kohli was highly commendable.
BJ Watling – 5
Visibly struggling under the Kanpur heat and humidity, the affable wicket-keeper batsman had to relinquish the gloves at the end of India’s second innings due to tiredness. However, his work behind the stumps was pretty safe despite having to face spin for the most part. With the bat, he could not make any considerable difference to the outcome.
Ish Sodhi – 4.5
Much like his idol Anil Kumble, Sodhi‘s height could be taken advantage of in order to make the batsmen uncomfortable. If he would want to end up anywhere near the Indian legend, a marked emphasis on improving his control might be the way to go as evidenced by a lacklustre effort on a pitch suiting his strengths.
Mark Craig – 4.5
Aside from scalping the wickets of Rahane and Kohli, Craig did not have anything else to cheer about. Despite possessing a batting average of 41.85 prior to the match, he was not quite equipped to handle these conditions with a side strain making matters worse and ruling him out of the remainder of the series.
Martin Guptill – 3
Amidst plenty of doubts surrounding his usefulness in Tests, Guptill’s lean returns did not abate with a duck in the second innings placing him in further jeopardy for the next couple of matches.
Ross Taylor – 2.5
The most experienced member of the New Zealand squad, Taylor committed a rookie-level mistake in the second innings by running himself out after forgetting to slide his bat in. But, his ungainly demeanour when confronted with the turning ball might ring an even bigger alarm bell for the tourists.
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