- Wednesday, May 08, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIA made a strong comeback later on Day 4 of their first Test against New Zealand at Green Park in Kanpur on Sunday (28) and the visitors will have to come up with a special show with the bat on the fifth-day pitch on Monday (29) to take an unbeatable lead in the two-game series.
The hosts, who started the day with a crucial 63-run lead with nine wickets in hand, were left reeling at 51 for 5 by a spirited Kiwi attack. However, led by in-form debutant Shreyas Iyer who made a century in the first innings, India’s tail wagged and they made a good recovery to reach 234 for 7 when captain Ajinkya Rahane declared the innings, setting the visitors a target of 284 runs.
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New Zealand lost opener Will Young in the remaining period of the day to end at four for one, requiring another 280 runs on the final day.
Shreyas Iyer hits ton in maiden Test
Tom Latham and night-watchman Will Sommerville were batting on two and nought, respectively. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked the wicket of Young.
Earlier in the day, Iyer hit 65 after senior batters like Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara fell cheaply and he was backed by Ashwin (32) and wicket-keeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha (61 not out). Axar Patel, who picked five wickets in the first innings to restrict New Zealand to below 300, chipped in with a valuable 28 not out to add unbeaten 67 runs with Saha for the eighth wicket.
For the Kiwis, bowling spearheads Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson picked three wickets each while spinner Ajaz Patel took the wicket of Rahane.
New Zealand have never won a Test series in India.
Brief scores: India 345 & 234 for 7 declared vs New Zealand 296 & 4 for 1 (at stumps on Day 4)
