Kohli, Raina And Dhoni Lead Indian Fightback

Kohli, Raina And Dhoni Lead Indian Fightback

Virat Kohli flicks to leg as Kruger van Wyk looks on en route to 93 not out at stumps on day two in Bangalore

©REUTERS / Action Images

New Zealand 365 (Taylor 113, Ojha 5-99) v
India 283-5 (Kohli 93no, Raina 55)
Second Test, Bangalore, day two
Scorecard | Day One

Half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina were leading India's strong reply to New Zealand when play closed on day two of the second Test in Bangalore.

Kohli was unbeaten on 93 and Raina made 55 as India closed on 283 for five, just 82 runs short of New Zealand's first innings score of 365.

Kohli's sparkling form continued, facing 173 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six on his way to a fifth Test half-century, having come to the crease with India in a little trouble at 67 for three.

After Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for 17, Kohli and Raina put on 99 for the fifth wicket to put India back in a strong position.

When Raina was caught by Kruger van Wyk off Tim Southee it created Test history as the first time that two 99-run partnerships were registered on the same day.

Earlier, van Wyk (71) and Doug Bracewell (43) were separated one run short before they could register a century partnership themselves as New Zealand continued to bat in the same vein as they had on the opening day.

Van Wyk faced 100 balls and Bracewell 79 before Zaheer Khan had the former caught by Raina and the latter run out and New Zealand's innings ended when Southee (14) was trapped in front by Pragyan Ojha and Jeetan Patel was caught by Gautam Gambhir off Umesh Yadav without scoring.

Ojha returned figures of five for 99, Khan two for 83, Yadav one for 90 and Ravichandran Ashwin one for 82.

Gambhir was the first batsman to be dismissed when India began their reply, bowled by Southee for two and he was quickly joined by Cheteshwar Pujara, who made nine before he was caught by Trent Boult off Southee, who finished the day with three for 35.

Virender Sehwag crashed a typically aggressive 43 in 60 balls only to fall when Bracewell had him caught by Daniel Flynn.

Bracewell had another wicket when he trapped Tendulkar in front but New Zealand's gains were gradually eroded by Kohli and Raina's partnership, which came from 27 overs.

The excellent fightback continued with Mahendra Singh Dhoni stepping up the run-rate by hitting an unbeaten 46 in 70 balls, with five fours and two sixes, to ensure that it was India that closed the day on the front foot.

Ross Taylor struck a brilliant century on the opening day to launch New Zealand's bid to level the series having been comprehensively beaten - by an innings and 115 runs - in the opening Test in Hyderabad.

© Cricket World 2012