If you grew up following Test cricket in the 1990s, the sight of Indian team being bowled for less than 200 in an overseas Test would have been a fairly common sight (happened 10 times, to be precise). On most of those occasions, the conditions and the quality of the opposition bowling made it understandable, even if not palatable.
On Saturday in Wellington, Virat Kohli’s India (the world’s best Test side at the moment) were bowled out for 165. But the pitch did not really merit a 165-all-out one; the New Zealand bowling attack did not really merit a 165-all-out. And yet, that is all the visitors managed in just over two sessions of batting.
That fact that this Test match is still hanging in the balance is entirely down to a gritty bowling performance, led by a sleep-deprived Ishant Sharma and a relentless Ashwin Ravichandran. Resuming at 122/5, India added just 43 runs in the morning session on day two while losing their last five wickets. And the pitch (or the New Zealand bowlers, for that matter) barely played a part in that.
An hour of madness
Jamieson (4/39) and Southee (4/49) took four of the five wickets that fell on the second morning. But the Indians, to borrow a footballing term, produced a fair few assists.
On day one, it was Virat Kohli and Mayank Agarwal who threw their wickets away, gift-wrapped and all. The opener especially must have nightmares with his dismissal as he looked in control for large parts of innings (83% control as per ESPNCricinfo) but gave his wicket away to a short ball.
Then on day two, when batting conditions were expected to get better later in the day, India lasted just over an hour. Rishabh Pant displayed plenty of patience on day one and then started the morning with a six in the first over. But not much later as a horrible mix-up with senior partner Ajinkya Rahane (46) resulted in a run-out.
You know how they say “good cricket all around” on commentary? This was just the opposite. An ordinary ball from Southee, a dab to point by Rahane, some aimless running by the Indian vice-captain, ball-watching by Pant, an awkward throw from Ajaz Patel, a tumble by wicketkeeper BJ Watling, and an unintentional direct hit....it was as if destiny conspired against Pant.
One could argue that Pant should have trusted Rahane’s call for the single but it is still not clear whether there was a single there, and even if so, the need for such a risky run at that stage should have outweighed the reward of a single.
Pant was doing most things right, Rahane was doing most things right....both of them messed up big time in one moment of madness. Maybe Rahane pulled rank and maybe Pant was left with no choice, but it was an extraordinary brain-fade from the world No 1 team and one that could end up costing the match. Rahane had NEVER been involved in a run-out before in his Test career and that duck was broken at an inopportune moment for India.
New Zealand pacer Tim Southee acknowledged what a game-changing moment the run-out can possibly be. “The run-out of Pant was a big this morning,” Southee said. “With him [Pant] being such a dangerous player and leading into that second new-ball, he could have scored quickly along with Jinks [Rahane].”
The vice-captain himself was also dismissed by a nothing shot. As he got an under-edge while trying to leave the ball. He was the top-scorer for his side but when he was well-set and had a chance to push the total close to 200, he walked back.
Mohammed Shami then kept swinging, Ishant Sharma kept chipping the ball just wide of fielders in an atypical knock and before you knew it, the Indian team were bowled for a total that was well below par.
The game is not over yet, not by a long shot but if the result goes against India at the end of five (or four) days, they will look back on day two’s morning session with plenty of regret.
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