3 key questions that need to be answered after Day 2 of the 2nd IND vs NZ Test
After deciding not to enforce the follow-on, India extended their commanding lead over New Zealand to 332 in the second Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, December 4.
Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara, opening the batting for India in the second innings, overhauled New Zealand's first-innings score of 62 with frightening ease. Earlier in the day, Kiwi left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel made history by becoming the third bowler in the history of Test cricket to pick up all 10 wickets in an innings.
Here are three questions that need to be answered by both teams after Day 2 of the second Test.
#3 How serious is Shubman Gill's elbow injury?
Shubman Gill didn't walk out to bat in the second innings for India after sustaining a blow while fielding at short leg. A full-blooded Henry Nicholls sweep struck the youngster near his elbow and he appeared to be in significant pain, with the BCCI confirming that he has been taken for scans as a precautionary measure.
Gill has had a tough time with injuries lately, having missed out on the England tour with shin splints before spending some much-needed recovery time at the NCA in Bengaluru. The young opener has played some excellent innings for India at the top of the order and will hope that his injury is nothing serious.
#2 Why did Ishant Sharma play ahead of Mohammed Siraj in the first Test?
Introduced into the playing XI in Mumbai, Mohammed Siraj breathed fire for India in New Zealand's first innings. Taking the new ball alongside Umesh Yadav, the 27-year-old dismissed Will Young, Tom Latham and Ross Taylor in a captivating spell of fast bowling on a deck where his opposition counterparts struggled to make an impact.
Why didn't Siraj play ahead of Ishant Sharma in the first Test? Ishant's form has been questionable in the recent past and most experts suggested that the veteran fast bowler may not have the pace and aggression to provide breakthroughs on placid home tracks. And in Mumbai, Siraj's hostility had no match.
Siraj dismissed Young and Taylor with peaches that angled in and shaped away, while he had Latham caught at deep square leg with a brilliantly executed plan to put New Zealand into a situation from which they never recovered. The Hyderabad-born pacer might just have permanently leapfrogged Ishant in the pecking order, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami rested for the series.
#1 How could New Zealand's other bowlers let Ajaz Patel take 10 wickets on his own?
Ajaz Patel's historic achievement was a treat to watch. The left-arm spinner bowled an enticing spell that showed his class, challenging both edges on a consistent basis and varying his pace with unrelenting accuracy for the most part. However, while the significance of the achievement cannot be questioned, it was not a great sign for New Zealand.
Why didn't any of the other bowlers offer any penetration? William Somerville couldn't threaten at any point, while Kyle Jamieson bowled only 12 overs in the innings. Tim Southee occasionally swung the ball and maintained good areas but he never seriously looked like providing a breakthrough. Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell were justifiably underbowled, leaving Patel to send down almost 50 overs.
The Indian innings lasted only 109.5 overs, and while New Zealand will be happy with the fortitude shown by their premier Test spinner, they will be wondering why the other bowlers were so toothless in a Mumbai wicket that had quite a lot to offer. The exclusion of Neil Wagner is also a massive talking point.