The dice was loaded in New Zealand’s favour as they won the toss and enjoyed the first bite of the cherry in conditions tailor-made for swing and seam. And they made hay with three bumper strikes within the first half of the day before Virat Kohli (44*) and Ajinkya Rahane (28*) dug in to steer India to safer shores. Bad light was a constant companion in the final session and forced Stumps prematurely with the contest hanging in balance at 146/3.
Asked to do the repair job with the top three back in the hut, Kohli and Rahane brought their A-game to the table and stitched a 58-run stand built on solid defence and loads of patience. Kohli produced a flurry of trademark cover drives and Rahane was growing in confidence too when the dark clouds looming overhead deemed the visibility unfit for play.
Earlier, India’s openers put on an exhibition of technical compactness to see off the new ball. While Shubman Gill shimmied down the track to curb the lateral movement and intercept the…