The much-awaited first Test between India and New Zealand at Bengaluru took a shocking turn in the second day, casting India into a sticky situation. The hosts crumbled to the very unfamiliar batting collapse, getting all out for a mere 46 runs – their lowest at home and Test cricket’s third-lowest ever. New Zealand capitalized on that and headed into the end of Day 2 in charge, sitting 134 runs ahead, with seven wickets in hand and a score of 180 for 3. Let’s cut into some of the key moments of the day and how it all played out to put New Zealand firmly in the driver’s seat. In this article we’ll explore India vs New Zealand 1st Test 2024 and more
India vs New Zealand 1st Test 2024: The Toss: A Critical Decision Gone Wrong
The toss, won by India on overcast conditions, is always a blessing in subcontinental conditions. When pitches start cracking at the end as dry pitches start coming into play, the first innings batting team would have all reasons to anticipate in their favour. On this occasion, however, India opted to bat under cloudy skies after a couple of days of pitch covering and it proved to be a costly decision.
Having three spinners in their kitty and expecting a dry wicket, India was late to realize the situation. New Zealand would have liked batting first, but with three seamers in the team, it was well-packed for any eventuality, and Matt Henry was eager to seize the day. The outcomes were clear while the game was still in its infancy days—India was shocked by the swing and seam action the pitch was bringing out in the initial stages.
India vs New Zealand 1st Test 2024: India’s Stunning Collapse 46 All Out
New Zealand’s bowlers, led by the superb Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke, tore through India’s batting line-up with devastating precision. Henry ended up with 5 for 15, while O’Rourke took 4 for 22. It was an uncharacteristic performance by India, especially at home – and the total of 46 marked their lowest score on Indian soil in Test cricket.
It was a shocking collapse. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was the first to fall after playing a loose drive on just the 12th ball he faced. Captain Rohit Sharma soon fell, bowled by a stunning delivery from Henry that clipped the top of the leg stump. India was at 13 for 3 soon, and thereafter little resistance was forthcoming.
Virat Kohli, promoted to No. 3 due to the stiff neck of Shubman Gill, did not really get a chance to settle in either. Given a chance to bat for 5, Kohli glove-handed a rising ball from O’Rourke to leg slip. At No. 4, Sarfaraz Khan, however, survived only for three balls, castled by a diving Devon Conway at mid-off. The early shocks left India out of sorts, and they never regained their composure. India also expected stability from Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, but they, too, fell cheaply. At lunch India was 33 for 6, and the innings ended just after lunch at 46 all out in 31.2 overs. It’s no surprise that the Indians had a bad day with the seamers’ movement generated, averaging about 0.87 degrees whereas New Zealand got their game in hand later by 0.65 degrees.
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India vs New Zealand 1st Test 2024: Conway leads the Charge
Where India’s batsmen crumbled, New Zealand’s Devon Conway was keenly appreciative of the favorable conditions that settled in after the ball stopped swinging much. He made a fluent knock of 91 and led the New Zealand reply. Conway used his primetime hitting skill against the spinners when, having taken on Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja early, New Zealand was always in control.
Conway was aggressive and measured as he made the Indian pacers dismantle anything that became too full, then used sweeps and reverse sweeps to disorient the spinners. Just nine runs short of his hundred, bowled by Ashwin trying a reverse sweep, Conway’s effort had put New Zealand in a near-ideal position. It was left to Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell, both New Zealand batsmen, to take the last overs of the day safely as New Zealand closed at 180 for 3. They had already secured a lead of 134 runs.
New Zealand’s hero of the day was undoubtedly Matt Henry. Seam movement was generated by his seamers as they were able to consistently get the right length, and this contributed to India’s crumbling batting order. He took five wickets to get New Zealand to 100 in Test cricket-the first milestone in his career. All of India’s top-order batsmen struggled with the cricket ball under Henry’s wicket-keeping skill along with his aggressive style of bowling. O’Rourke came in hand in support and took four wickets, got rid of Kohli and Rahul too. And despite the luck that England got from these two seamers, New Zealand seized the early lead.
Misread Conditions and Selection Dilemma of Indian Cricket
Mumbai: India’s decision to stick with three spinners—Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav—was a miscalculation in a pitch that has been under covers and overcast conditions. The early movement extracted by New Zealand’s seamers exposed India’s fragility on seaming tracks. Although spinners were supposed to play a major role as the game progressed, the early seam movement made India’s attack one-dimensional on Day 2.
Indian fielding, however, made a poor show. There were several dropped catches and missed stumpings that went against them, thereby allowing New Zealand to put up a more considerable lead. Pressure will begin to mount on India now as they would like their bowling to make a comeback in the next innings and their batsmen to strike well in difficult conditions in the second innings.
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The Future: India’s Challenge
India will have a task to prevent New Zealand from increasing the lead, that they get on the board today. The primary challenge for India would be to capitalise on whatever movement is available in the pitch and get as much turn as possible for their spinners, but this would come with a substantial first-innings deficit, and so their batting in the second innings would be their main concern. If India is to make a comeback in this game, at all, then Kohli, Rahul, and Rohit will have to lift their act.
New Zealand, however, will look to build on the lead obtained and look at a total from which India cannot retrieve and make any sort of comeback in the match. Seven wickets are still in the bank and Conway’s 91 well sets the tone for the cause. New Zealand, hence, spot on at taking control of the match.
India vs New Zealand 1st Test 2024: Conclusion
The India vs New Zealand 1st Test 2024 between India and New Zealand was full of drama, as India suffered the most shocking collapse and New Zealand capitalized. Devon Conway’ smooth 91 combined with the spark that Matt Henry showed with the ball has given New Zealand an upper hand in the game, and it will take a great deal of effort from India to avoid being completely routed here. The next couple of days are going to be very important in deciding whether India manages to turn things around, or if New Zealand goes on to get that famous win on Indian soil.