Opting to bowl first under heavy cloud cover, India quickly regretted their decision as New Zealand’s pacers took control, utilizing significant swing in the air and movement off the pitch under floodlights.
Rohit Sharma initially survived a close LBW call, but Tim Southee didn’t need an appeal in the seventh over when an inswinger shattered the Indian skipper’s stumps.
After 14 consecutive dot balls, the pressure mounted, leading to Will O’Rourke getting Virat Kohli to glove a rising delivery into Glenn Phillips’ hands.
Four balls later, Sarfaraz Khan fell to a spectacular diving catch by Devon Conway at mid-off, leaving India struggling at 10/3 when rain halted play.
Fortunately, the rain delay only lasted 30 minutes, and Rishabh Pant restarted with a boundary off O’Rourke. However, the pressure persisted, with maidens piling up. Yashasvi Jaiswal, growing impatient, slashed a cut straight to point, gifting his wicket.
KL Rahul became New Zealand’s fifth victim after nicking an O’Rourke delivery down leg, and Ravindra Jadeja’s duck left India reeling at 34/6 at the break.
On the first ball after the interval, Ravichandran Ashwin edged one to slip, and shortly after, Matt Henry bowled a jaffa to dismiss Pant. Henry and O’Rourke then finished off the innings for just 46 runs, marking the lowest total by any team in the subcontinent.
When New Zealand came out to bat, the sun broke through, easing the pitch conditions and reducing swing. Devon Conway and Tom Latham took full advantage, aided by sloppy Indian fielding. Conway raced to his half-century in just 54 balls, targeting Ashwin for boundaries, including a six.
Their 67-run opening stand ended abruptly when Kuldeep Yadav trapped Latham LBW with a well-drifted delivery. But New Zealand continued to dominate as Conway and Will Young added another 75 runs before Jadeja dismissed Young with a sharply bouncing delivery, caught by Rohit.
Rohit Sharma Abusing Ravindra Jadeja “jaddu b*dk ball kra kya kr rha h m*darch*d”
— Samar Pandey (@SamarPa71046193) October 17, 2024
🗣️Caught On Stump Mic#RohitSharma#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/ABXUvMqMt2
Ashwin struck one final blow by yorking Conway during a reverse sweep attempt, ending his innings nine short of a century.By stumps, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell had guided New Zealand to a 134-run lead with an unbeaten 26-run partnership, leaving the visitors in a commanding position at the close of play.