Finance
Matt Henry and William O’Rourke’s superb bowling, combined with Rachin Ravindra’s brilliant batting, enabled New Zealand win the first Test by eight wickets over a stubborn Indian side in Bengaluru on Sunday.
This is the Kiwis’ first win in India in more than 36 years, dating back to 1988. With this victory, they have a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
New Zealand’s chase of 107 runs got off to a rough start when Jasprit Bumrah dismissed skipper Tom Latham for a duck on the second ball of the innings. The Kiwis were 0/1 in one over.
Will Young and Devon Conway began forming a partnership for New Zealand. However, Bumrah struck again, trapping Conway leg-before-wicket for 17, putting New Zealand on 35/2 after 12.3 overs.
New Zealand scored 50 runs in 13.4 overs.
Young was joined by Rachin Ravindra, and together they helped New Zealand reach 100 runs in 26.3 overs.
New Zealand scored 110/2 in 27.4 overs, with Young unbeaten on 48 (76 balls, seven fours, and one six) and Ravindra on 39* (46 balls, six fours).
Bumrah (2/29) was the only wicket-taker for India.
Earlier, India took a 106-run advantage in the second innings, scoring 462/10 to New Zealand’s 402/10 in the first. With a 72-run opening stand, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (35 from 52 balls, six fours) and skipper Rohit Sharma (52 from 63 balls, eight fours and a six) got India off to a great start.
Sarfaraz Khan then took charge, first creating a 136-run partnership with Virat Kohli (70 from 102 balls, eight fours and a six) and then a 177-run stand with Rishabh Pant (99 from 105 balls, nine fours and five sixes) to put India ahead. However, the introduction of the new ball caused India to lose seven wickets for just 54 runs, with the middle order failing to contribute significantly.
William O’Rourke (3/92) and Matt Henry (3/102) capitalised on the new ball, destroying the Indian batting line-up just as a large lead appeared to be on the cards. Spinner Ajaz Patel got two wickets, while Glenn Phillips and Tim Southee each claimed one.
In their first innings, New Zealand scored 402 in response to India’s 356. Rachin Ravindra’s brilliant century (134 from 157 balls, with 13 fours and four sixes) and Southee’s quickfire 65 (73 balls, eight fours and four sixes) enabled New Zealand recover from 233/7 to 402, due to a 137-run eighth-wicket stand. Devon Conway (91 from 105 balls, 11 fours and three sixes) also made an important contribution at the top.
Ravindra Jadeja (3/72) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/99) bowled brilliantly for India, with Mohammed Siraj taking two wickets and Ravichandran Ashwin and Bumrah taking one each.
Previously, after deciding to bat, India had a horrible start in cloudy, pace-friendly conditions. Henry (5/15) and O’Rourke (4/22) tore through the Indian batting order, limiting them to 46 runs in 31.2 overs. Only Jaiswal (13) and Pant (20) hit double figures.
Brief Scores: India: 46 and 462 (Sarfaraz Khan 150, Rishabh Pant 99, William O’Rourke 3/92) lost to New Zealand: 402 and 110/2 (Will Young 48*, Rachin Ravindra 39*, Jasprit Bumrah 2/29). (Inputs from ANI)
