The lack of getting the big centuries is going to come back and cost India one day. After Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara got half-centuries in each innings in the first Test in Kanpur but could not go on to get centuries, Pujara and Rahane put on a 141-run partnership and looked set to score big ones. But New Zealand struck back in the last session with a flurry of wickets as India finished Day 1 at 239/7.
Pujara and Rahane had done well to rescue India from the dire straits of 57/3 to 136/3 at tea. With the Kiwi bowlers tiring, things seemed set for a tough session for stand-in captain Ross Taylor's bowlers as the duo upped the scoring rate with a series of fluent boundaries in the first few overs of the final session.
One drive too many, however, cost Pujara on 87 as he picked out short-cover with India's score on 187/3, missing out on a century after getting his third straight half-century in three innings. Then off-spinner Jeetan Patel, replacing the injured Mark Craig, got into the act, accounting for Rohit Sharma (2) and Rahane (77) to bring New Zealand right back into the match.
Just before the end of day, another graceful knock from Ravichandran Ashwin came to an end as Trent Boult got one to nip back in and rap him in front of the stumps. Ravindra Jadeja survived a close leg-before shout in the last over of the day as India finished the day at 239/7.
Brief scores:
India 239/7 (Cheteshwar Pujara 87, Ajinkya Rahane 77; Mark Henry 3/35) v New Zealand
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