India Leave New Zealand Struggling On Day Two

India Leave New Zealand Struggling On Day Two

Ross Taylor (centre) is caught by Virat Kohli (right) on day two in Hyderabad as New Zealand struggled against India

©REUTERS / Action Images

India 438 (Pujara 159, Dhoni 73) v
New Zealand 106-5 (Ashwin 3-30)
First Test, Hyderabad, day two
Scorecard | Day One

India maintained their dominant position over New Zealand in the first Test in Hyderabad as the tourists closed day two some 332 runs adrift with five wickets down.

Replying to India's 438, set up by Cheteshwar Pujara's brilliant 159, New Zealand limped to 106 for five at stumps and still need another 132 to avoid having to follow on.

India resumed on 307 for five and Pujara added 40 more runs before holing out to James Franklin off Jeetan Patel, who bowled well again to finish with figures of four for 100 from 41 overs.

Pujara's innings of 306 balls included 19 fours and a six while he and Mahendra Singh Dhoni added 127 for the sixth wicket.

Dhoni fell soon after for 73 in 147 balls, Patel striking again and it was left to his Chennai Super Kings team-mate Ravichandran Ashwin to try to marshal the lower order as best he could.

He managed to score 37 in 54 balls but received little support as Zaheer Khan (0) and Umesh Yadav (4) fell cheaply, Ashwin himself the penultimate man to be dismissed when he became Patel's fourth wicket.

Zaheer was caught by Kruger van Wyk off Trent Boult and Yadav was run out, leaving Pragyan Ojha unbeaten on four.

Boult picked up figures of three for 93 and there was a wicket apiece for Chris Martin and Doug Bracewell.

It did not take long for spin to be introduced when New Zealand came out to bat and Ojha removed Brendon McCullum for 22 in just the eighth over, the opener caught by Kohli.

Kohli's safe hands accounted for Martin Guptill (2) a short while later, this time Ashwin the bowler and captain Ross Taylor lasted 14 balls, scoring two, before succumbing to the same combination.

Kane Williamson (32) and Daniel Flynn (16) staged a partial recovery, adding 20 runs for the fourth wicket but when Ashwin traooed Flynn in front, the Black Caps were 55 for four.

Williamson combined with James Franklin to nudge the score towards 100 but could not take his side past the landmark as he edged Ojha to Virender Sehwag at slip with the score on 99.

Franklin, who closed unbeaten on 31 in 75 balls, pulled Sachin Tendulkar for a six late on but it was a rare highlight on another difficult day for the New Zealanders.

Opening bowlers Zaheer and Yadav bowled just eight overs between them as Ashwin (3-30) and Ojha (2-35) did the bulk of the work with the ball.

© Cricket World 2012