India vs New Zealand | 1st Test, Wellington, Day 2: India holding on despite Williamson punch
Virat Kohli once proclaimed that while chasing targets, sometimes he enters an elusive zone where he genuinely feels the opposition can't claim his wicket. For batsmen, there are some golden days when the bat's sweet spot rings often, gaps are pierced with minimal effort, and runs stockpiled for fun. Consequently, the peculiar feeling of being infallible encircles the willow-wielder.
However, the same is rarely the case when one's tackling India's red-hot pace attack. The speed merchants can produce snorters from thin air to send well-set batsmen packing, leaving them bewildered. The dismissals of Tom Blundell and Ross Taylor vindicate the fact. The young opener was stroking the ball deliciously, albeit predominantly through backfoot, when Ishant Sharma's in-ducker knocked him over completely against the run of play. Similarly, Taylor perished all of a sudden when the quick's lifter got big on him and he awkwardly gloved a dolly to short leg.
Though Kane Williamson dropped anchor and almost single-handedly consolidated New Zealand's position en route his diligent 89, India never looked out of the contest with the cherry frequently whizzing past the outside edges and leg before shouts commonplace. Moreover, Ravichandran Ashwin extracted generous purchase from the track which had seemingly flattened a bit and gotten easier for scoring. The proficient off-spinner fittingly entered the wickets column removing Henry Nicholls just before poor light forced stumps, capping off a near-perfect final session for the visitors.
India's bowling group certainly deserves praise for not letting their spirits droop and continue operating in probing channels even when Williamson appeared in ominous touch, blocking good deliveries right under his nose while ensuring freebies are promptly dispatched. Luck wasn't by their side either, but they painstakingly hovered around nagging lengths and eventually reaped dividends as India, despite having conceded a modest 51-run lead, now find themselves gradually crawling back into the scheme of things.
Some early blows in the third day's crucial morning session can briskly skew the equilibrium in India's favour. Notwithstanding moderate deterioration, the pitch is expected to stay true for the remaining encounter. Hence, if India can fold the hosts cheaply tomorrow and gain a sizeable lead courtesy an improved batting performance, it would well and truly be game on because ticking off anything above 200-250 would be no mean task in the fourth innings.
But for that to happen, they'll need to swiftly address shortcomings and bring their best game to the table moving forward, otherwise, New Zealand are the clear favourites.
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