Half-centuries by Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari rallied India on the first day of the second cricket test against New Zealand on Saturday, lifting it to 194-5 at tea after the loss of captain Virat Kohli.
Pujara's 25th half-century, his first in New Zealand, and Vihari's 4 stabilized the India innings after Kohli was out for 3 when India was 85-3 immediately after lunch.
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Half-centuries by Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari rallied India on the first day of the second cricket test against New Zealand on Saturday, lifting it to 194-5 at tea after the loss of captain Virat Kohli.
A series of boundaries from Vihari had the New Zealand bowlers under pressure as tea approached. But Neil Wagner made a vital breakthrough when he dismissed Vihari .
Pujara took 13 balls to get off the mark and had 15 runs from 49 balls at lunch. He faced an exacting test from New Zealand's all-seam attack; from the full-pitched swing of Tim Southee to the short-pitched approach of Wagner, taking several deliveries on the body.
Batting still required care and India lost Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane (7) and Kohli (3) cheaply while Shaw, Pujara and Vihari built a solid innings with half centuries.
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India's Cheteshwar Pujara bats during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)
New Zealand's Neil Wagner fields the ball off his own bowling during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)
The pair added 81 for the fifth wicket and gradually lifted India's scoring rate after Pujara's watchful start.
India's Hanuma Vihari, centre, walks from the field after he was dismissed by New Zealand's Neil Wagner during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)
A series of boundaries from Vihari had the New Zealand bowlers under pressure as tea approached. But Neil Wagner made a vital breakthrough when he dismissed Vihari .
At the break Pujara was 53 and about to be joined by Rishabh Pant.
Pujara began in the shadow of opener Prithvi Shaw, who made an impressive 54 in the first session, hitting eight fours and a six. There could hardly have been a sharper contrast in the approach of Pujara who came to the crease in the sixth over with the dismissal of Mayank Agarwal (7).
India's Hanuma Vihari plays at the ball to be out caught behind during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)
Pujara took 13 balls to get off the mark and had 15 runs from 49 balls at lunch. He faced an exacting test from New Zealand's all-seam attack; from the full-pitched swing of Tim Southee to the short-pitched approach of Wagner, taking several deliveries on the body.
He was cautious in the selection of his scoring shots but executed superbly when he found a length to his liking. In the 28th over he hit successive fours from the bowling of Trent Boult, the first a fluent cover drive and the second a clip between mid-wicket and mid-on.
Pujara became the senior batsmen on Kohli's dismissal and anchored the innings. There was much less life in the pitch at Hagley Oval than had been promised by its green appearance when the covers were drawn back Saturday after overnight rain.
New Zealand's Kane Williamson runs to field the ball during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)
Batting still required care and India lost Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane (7) and Kohli (3) cheaply while Shaw, Pujara and Vihari built a solid innings with half centuries.
Kohli was out lbw, playing around a ball from Southee which was angled from wide on the crease, beat the inside edge and hit him in front of middle stump, making his call for a review academic. When he was quickly followed by Rahane New Zealand was in a strong position with India 113-4.
But the partnership between Pujara and Vihari brought India back into the match which was then left more closely balanced when Vihari was out near the break. India lost three wickets for the addition of 109 runs in the extended second session.
India's Hanuma Vihari bats during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)
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India's Hanuma Vihari bats during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)
India's Cheteshwar Pujara bats during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)
New Zealand's Neil Wagner fields the ball off his own bowling during play on day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP PhotoMark Baker)