- The Cricket Diaries: Team India Edition
- Posts
- New Zealand Stuns India and Takes 1-0 Lead in the 3-Match Test Series!
New Zealand Stuns India and Takes 1-0 Lead in the 3-Match Test Series!
New Zealand won the 1st Test against India at Bengaluru and takes a 1-0 lead in the 3-match test series. Even with a solid counter punch in the 2nd innings from India, it wasn't enough for the hosts to secure a win.
Ashutosh Nayak
October 21, 2024
Welcome to the 39th Edition of The Cricket Diaries!
After two commanding victories against Bangladesh, India were expected to dominate New Zealand, especially at home. However, the Blackcaps are known for their resilience. The New Zealand team arrived well-prepared and stunned India by winning the 1st Test in Bengaluru. Here's how the match unfolded:
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Day 1:
The first day was washed out due to persistent rain, with no toss.
Day 2:
Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bat. But things quickly went awry. Rohit departed with just 9 runs on the board, followed by Virat Kohli, who was promoted to No. 3 in the absence of Shubman Gill (injured), only to be dismissed for a duck. Sarfaraz Khan also scored a duck, leaving India at 10-3. A small partnership between Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal took India past 30, but wickets kept falling. KL Rahul was dismissed for a duck, and India collapsed to a shocking 46 all out—the lowest-ever total by a home team.
New Zealand started their innings positively, with an opening partnership of 67 before captain Tom Latham was dismissed. The Blackcaps kept the runs flowing and ended Day 2 at 180-3.
Day 3:
India had a strong start in the morning session, taking crucial wickets quickly, reducing New Zealand to 233-7. However, a 100+ partnership between Rachin Ravindra and Tim Southee helped New Zealand recover and post a total of 402, taking a commanding lead of 356 runs.
India, in their second innings, learned from their earlier mistakes and batted with intent. At the end of Day 3, India stood at 231-3, although Virat Kohli was dismissed on the last ball of the day.
Day 4:
The Indian batting order dominated for the first half of the day, with Sarfaraz Khan scoring an impressive 150 and Rishabh Pant narrowly missing out on a century with a quickfire 99. India crossed New Zealand's lead, but the game took a dramatic turn when the second new ball came into play. From 356-3, India lost 7 wickets for just 54 runs, allowing New Zealand to wrest back control.
Day 5:
On the final day, India had a modest total of 106 to defend, but New Zealand’s batters held their ground. They chased down the target in 27.4 overs, securing a historic Test victory in India after 36 years.
New Zealand outplayed India in every department—batting, bowling, and fielding. The second Test begins in Pune on October 24, 2024. Can India bounce back and continue their dominance at home? Stay tuned for more cricket action!
That’s a wrap for now! See you in the next edition.
Reply