IND v NZ, 2nd Test Day 2 Review: Bhuvi's five wicket haul puts India in a dominating position

The scoreboard at the Eden Gardens took a pounding in the first session of the second day’s play in the second IND v NZ Test at Kolkata. As of the first day, the Kiwis had their noses in front with Matt Henry being somewhat of the star of the show. However, the fact of the matter remained that the Indians, just as they had done in the first Test would claw their way back into the match.

Ravindra Jadeja and Wriddhiman Saha took the field at the start of the second day’s play with the Indians at 239/7. They began to stitch an important partnership. Saha, in particular, was severe on the New Zealand bowling unit as he reiterated the need for quick runs and help the Indians get to their score of 300, a psychological mark when it came to setting a score in the first innings.

Ravindra Jadeja also got into the act as he began to smash Mitchell Santner into the crowd at will. Jadeja, in effect, was picking up where he had left off in the first Test where he had smashed an important half-century in the second innings. However, the New Zealand bowlers had other plans. Trent Boult and Neil Wagner were using the short-pitched delivery quite well.

The so-called ‘chin music’ seemed to be working as Wriddhiman Saha was dealt with a few blows to the body. In spite of this, Saha simply failed to flinch after taking blow after blow to the ribs as well as the elbow. This earned him some respect from the commentary box and his adversary Trent Boult who permitted himself a smile or two.

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However, in spite of this, the New Zealand ploy was working as they had unearthed an age old problem the Indians had been facing for a while – The short delivery. Ravindra Jadeja was the first to be dismissed to this ploy when he was hauled out in the deep by Neil Wagner positioned at Third Man.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was more than happy that his innings got off to a proper start with a smash to the fence. However, his innings was short-lived when a few attempted sweep shots found himself trapped leg-before to Mitchell Santner, who was surprisingly picking up his first wicket on the day.

Mohammad Shami, who has an international Test half-century to his name, went about smashing the ball with a few wild slogs, a handful of which went ahead to the fence. Wriddhiman smashed the ball over and above the fence at will when he smashed a half-century. He remained unbeaten on 54 when the innings came to a close. The innings came to a close when Matt Henry pulled off a stunning catch to the fine leg boundary, a catch that even surprised Trent Boult.

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The New Zealand innings began with a few brisk skirmishes to the fence by Martin Guptill. However, Mohammad Shami, playing in his home ground dismissed the solid Tom Latham before the ball ricocheted back onto Guptill’s stumps from a Bhuvneshwar Kumar inswinger.

The lunch break saw de-facto New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor redraw the plans for the batting unit. After lunch, it was going to be a story of how the Kiwis could stage a fightback using the traditional Test match warfare.

However, this did not work as Henry Nicholls’ defenses were well and truly breached by Bhuvneshwwar Kumar, who was on a roll. Nicholls chopped onto his stumps as the Indians closed in on what was a feeble-looking New Zealand middle-order without the presence of Kane Williamson.

Luke Ronchi and Ross Taylor, perhaps two of the senior-most batsmen in the side began to stitch an important partnership. While Ronchi was living dangerously with his calculated risks, the duo tapped and knocked the ball around before disaster struck once again.

Ravindra Jadeja, who had previously not got his man Ronchi to a plumb leg-before decision, finally got his man. Ironically, it was also the stroke of rain as the heavens opened up and with both teams taking an early tea break.

The last session also belonged to India as they reduced New Zealand to 128/7 at stumps. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who ended the lunch session with figures of 2/20, added three more Black Caps batsmen to his tally and returned to the shed with a five-wicket haul to his name.

The entire last session was dominated by Kumar who extracted the maximum out of the pitch to derail the Kiwi side. After shattering the stumps of the opener Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls before Tea, Kumar came back with more sharpness and struck immediately to make Ross Taylor return to the pavilion.

A couple of overs later, Kumar struck off consecutive deliveries to remove Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry and complete his five-wicket haul. Henry’s wicket also gave him a hat-trick chance but he was less fortunate the next delivery and missed the opportunity.

New Zealand has a bucketful of problems now and is trailing by a massive 188 runs margin. BJ Watling and Jeetan Patel will have to emulate what Luke Ronchi and Mitchell Santner did in the last game to reduce the runs gap and possibly take the Kiwis to a comfortable position.

Brief Scores:

India, 1st innings: 316 all out (C Pujara 82; M Henry 3/46)

New Zealand, 1st innings: 128/7 (L Ronchi 35; B Kumar 5/33)