Innings Summary: India 46 (Pant 20, Henry 5-15, O’Rourke 4-22) vs New Zealand
New Zealand continued their momentum in the second session, wrapping up India’s remaining four wickets for just 12 additional runs, leaving India with their third-lowest Test score ever and their lowest on home soil. This 46-run collapse also marks the fourth-lowest first-innings total in the history of Test cricket after a team opted to bat first.
Matt Henry, New Zealand’s star performer, set the tone with a wicket off the first ball after lunch, as R Ashwin edged one to the slips. Moments later, Henry nearly claimed a hat-trick, but Rishabh Pant’s half-volley chance just eluded him. However, persistence paid off, and Henry soon had Pant caught at second slip with a perfectly pitched delivery on middle and leg. Just the ball before, Pant had declined a single to shield tail-ender Kuldeep Yadav.
Henry’s day wasn’t done yet. In a full sprint from fine leg, he assisted Will O’Rourke in securing his fourth wicket when Jasprit Bumrah mistimed a rising delivery. Henry later celebrated his five-wicket haul and his 100th Test scalp when substitute fielder Michael Bracewell took a diving catch at gully to dismiss Kuldeep Yadav.
Lunch Report – New Zealand Seize Control
After days of rain delays, New Zealand finally took the field on day two in Bengaluru, having lost the toss and been put to bowl under overcast conditions. The Kiwis, initially disappointed at missing the chance to bat first on a seamer-friendly pitch, unleashed a relentless bowling attack, reducing India to 34 for 6 in a chaotic, rain-affected first session.
India, also keen to bat first, fielded a spin-heavy lineup, but their batting lacked the grit that had served them so well in their drawn 2021 series in England. New Zealand, on the other hand, wisely included three seamers, led by the master of such conditions, Matt Henry.
From the opening overs, the ball moved more than either side had anticipated. Initially, New Zealand employed just two slips but quickly bolstered their slip cordon. India’s batters, reacting on instinct rather than preparation, tried to counterattack, only to falter. Yashasvi Jaiswal played a rash drive just 12 balls into his innings, while Rohit Sharma, who survived a close lbw decision, soon misjudged a lofted shot against Tim Southee, falling to a wobble-seam delivery that clipped his leg stump.
With Shubman Gill sidelined due to a stiff neck, Virat Kohli moved up to No. 3 for the first time since 2016. Despite the brave shift, Kohli was undone by O’Rourke’s sharp bounce, his glove offering a catch to leg slip. Glenn Phillips’ diving grab confirmed New Zealand’s well-laid plans.
In another surprise, Sarfaraz Khan was promoted to No. 4, a position unfamiliar even in domestic cricket. His stay was brief, as he lofted a drive straight to Devon Conway at mid-off, who took a brilliant diving catch. Henry’s average seam movement of 1.3 degrees in the first session reflected his precision and control.
Rain halted play with India struggling at 13 for 3 in 12.4 overs without a boundary. The bowlers had been ruthlessly accurate, with half of their deliveries landing in the good-length area, forcing India into defensive errors.
Post-Break Momentum and India’s Continued Struggles
The post-rain restart seemed promising for India as they finally found a boundary off a loose half-volley. However, the momentum soon shifted back to New Zealand. Tom Blundell dropped a straightforward catch from Rishabh Pant, but India’s fortune didn’t hold. Edges continued to fly, and false shots became more frequent as New Zealand’s bowlers tightened their grip.
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Jaiswal’s dismissal came off a middle-cut shot, caught at 13 off 63 balls. India’s control of the game was slipping, with only 42% of deliveries truly in their favor. KL Rahul, attempting to guide one down the leg side, edged it to the keeper for a duck just before lunch. Ravindra Jadeja soon followed with an ill-advised flick shot that resulted in a leading edge and the final wicket of the session.
Pant, though, remained unbeaten on 15 off 41 balls, despite surviving 18 false shots, as India’s collapse left them reeling at 46 all out.
