Thu, Nov 04 10 06:38 PM
Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid tormented New Zealand's bowlers as they scored contrasting centuries to give India a flying start in the first test on Thursday.
At close, the hosts were at 329 for three after Sehwag (173) and Dravid (104) combined in a 237-run partnership for the second wicket to build a solid platform for India.
The visitors had some reprieve in the last session of the day as they picked up the wickets of Sehwag and Dravid.
With Sachin Tendulkar (13 not out) and Vangipurappu Laxman (seven not out) at the crease and the likes of Suresh Raina and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to follow, India will aim to drive home the advantage of batting first on a pitch already offering turn and inconsistent bounce.
Sehwag treated the New Zealand bowlers with disdain en route to his 22nd test century, his knock consisting of 24 boundaries and a huge six.
The swashbuckling right-hander danced down the track twice in the 90s to hoist New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori over the top of the in-field to bring up his century.
The left-arm spinner ultimately had his revenge when he bowled Sehwag, with the ball ricocheting off his pads on to the stumps.
Dravid was touch slow to start with but picked up his strike-rate towards the later part of his innings. He fell to the second new ball, chopping Chris Martin on to his stumps.
The visitors compounded their miserable day by dropping Sehwag and Dravid. Off-spinner Jeetan Patel floored a straightforward return catch off Sehwag on 144, while wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins dropped Dravid on 28 off Jesse Ryder.
Patel has had an ordinary day on the field with the ball too as the Indians seemed to take a particular liking to his off spin. He went for 61 off the nine overs he bowled before tea.
Earlier, Dhoni had no hesitation in opting to bat first after winning the toss for the first time after nine tests.
India's only casualty in the morning session was Gambhir for 21, when the left-hander played on to part-time medium pacer Ryder when attempting an expansive cover drive.
The New Zealand pacers toiled hard on a pitch that provided them little assistance as Vettori, playing in his 100th test, was forced to introduce spin as early as the ninth.
The hosts selected Shanthakumaran Sreesanth as the second paceman ahead of Ishant Sharma, while batsman Kane Williamson and fast bowler Hamish Bennett were handed their New Zealand debuts.
The second test is in Hyderabad from Nov. 12-16 while the third and final test will be played in Nagpur from Nov. 20-24.
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