Gautam Gambhir announced his comeback with an excellent start but failed to capitalise on it to depart for 29. Cheteshwar Pujara (29 not out) and Virat Kohli took India to 75/2 at lunch on Day 1 in the third Test at Indore. Spinner Jeetan Patel (1/7) and left-armer Trent Boult (1/23), were the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand in the session and took the two wickets that fell in the session.

The pitch was deemed seam-friendly and the Kiws started with short-pitched stuff at the start. Gambhir, who came in for the injured Shikhar Dhawan, was prepared for the short ball and batted like a man in form. The early tentativeness, which had become a feature of his batting in 2013 and 2014, was a thing of the past, and he had decided to take the New Zealand attack on.

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Anything pitched on the pads was glanced down the leg side. Matt Henry decided to test Gambhir with the short ball and the veteran opener responded with two confident swivels to smash the ball over the ropes.

The pressure was on the Kiwis but they got a lucky break. Vijay, who was just getting his eye in, flicked a Jeetan Patel ball onto Tom Latham at forward short-leg, and the catch was completed on the inside of the fielder's arm.

Trent Boult though, was not giving anything away. The left-armer generated good pace and constantly tested outside the off-stump. Pujara never looked uncertain and scored his runs at his own pace with all the talk of the team management asking him to ramp up his scoring rate looking a fair distance away from affecting him.

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Boult, asking questions outside the off-stump, deservedly got a reward for his efforts by jagging the ball back into Gambhir, and rapping him on his pads. Umpire Bruce Oxenford raised his finger and ended Gambhir's stay at the crease. Kohli started his innings well, driving a bad Henry delivery outside off stump to the pavilion.

Brief scores:

India 75/2 (Gautam Gambhir 29, Cheteshwar Pujara 29 not out; Jeetan Patel 1/7) v New Zealand