This is what highlights India’s disappointing performance on Day 2 of the first Test against New Zealand
On a day full of unforgettable moments, slip fielder KL Rahul’s ducking from a Tom Latham edge that zipped by him at comfortable catching height stands out as one of the most memorable pictures of the day. This occurred just after New Zealand overtook India’s first-inning total. Rahul responded by saying he just didn’t notice, read, or even expect it. It encapsulated India’s dismal performance against New Zealand on the second day of the first Test.
Think about this figure: New Zealand was 48 for no loss in 12.2 overs in 57 minutes, whereas India was 46 all out in 31.2 overs in 163 minutes. On Thursday, it was a story of opposites.
Lead by Matt Henry (5/15) and supported by Williams O’Rourke (4/22), New Zealand’s quicks surprised the Indian hitters and left the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in such stillness that one might have mistakenly thought a funeral was taking place.
India, which for more than ten years had unmatched success at home, has become adept at shattering records in the meantime. That day, Rohit Sharma and his team defeated a good number of opponents—but not in an iconic way.
It was also India’s lowest total at home and their third-lowest total in a Test innings. After choosing to bat first, it was also the fourth-lowest score in the first innings. The five ducks in the innings are the second incidence following the 1999 Mohali Test (also against NZ), and the equal second-highest number.
Riding high on Devon Conway’s 105-ball 91 (11×4; 3×6) at stumps, the visitors led by 134 runs at 180/3 in 50 overs.
The performance on Wednesday had been canceled due to rain, and on Thursday, when the play started, the skies remained cloudy and the floodlights were turned on. India’s decision to bat first and send in three spinners appeared strange.
Although Rohit and the team’s think tank had enough time in this test to defend their choices, by the conclusion of the first day, they seemed like contentious choices.
Teams that bat first on strips covered for more than a day before are usually met with harsh treatment by Bengaluru. Although it was never going to be simple to bat in cloudy circumstances, the Indians most likely misjudged the difficulty of it.
The ball moved violently, there was much of bounce, the pacers produced plenty of swing, and seamers—among them, the seasoned Tim Southee—were well-suited for the carry. If the Indians had put up more effort and finished the first hour rather than attempting a counterattack, they could have been exonerated.
Conversely, New Zealand adjusted swiftly. When play started, they had two slips in place, but as soon as they saw how beneficial the circumstances were to seamen, they swiftly strengthened the cordon.
Nevertheless, half of the Indian players who quickly made their way to the changing room gave or tossed away their wickets. All praise be to the Black Caps, however. The fielders were spot on, collecting the ball from the air and reaching every half-chance, except for one that didn’t matter. The pace trio struck a constant line and length.
It took eight deliveries for New Zealand to start dissecting India. As the batters parade lead by Rohit. Having survived a tight LBW call on the umpire’s ruling, he attempted to break free by stepping out in opposition to a Southee ball. It smashed into the stumps with a jagged back.
After a lengthy layoff, Virat Kohli resumed his position at number three in lieu of Shubman Gill, who was sidelined with a stiff neck. Sarfaraz Khan replaced Gill in the starting lineup. O’Rourke, who is six feet six inches tall, startled Kohli with an additional bounce that removed the glove before he could even get a good look. Glenn Phillips dove low to grab the glove as it slipped from his thigh.
Carnage was what happened next. While Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja saw their plans utterly going awry, Sarfaraz went the unnecessary aerial path.
