Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    10.6 superb catch from Watling! A little quicker through the air, a little puff of dust off the pitch, the ball jerks away - it's allowed to do so because Rahul was so far back in his crease, playing for the trajectory. He prods at it, the edge is taken and umpire Rod Tucker says off you go 42/1
    58.1 he's walking! This was the wicket they dearly wanted, well they'd have accepted as many as they could get, but to have the second set batsman walking off just before tea would be just about perfect for them after the morning they had. It's only slightly short, and skids through after pitching, straight on. Vijay goes back to cut, feathers an edge to Watling who is again superb behind the stumps. Stays low, stays safe 185/4
    62
    109
    146
    8
    0
    56.88
    48.4 he's popped it back to the bowler! It was pushed through on middle and leg, Pujara wanted to play it as straight as possibly and ends up paying for it. Jams his bat down on his pad with an anger not often associated with him. Shows you how much going big meant to him in this innings. New Zealand have broken through, by playing patiently. Stringing enough good balls in and waiting for the mistake. Great stuff. 154/2
    51.3 perishes to the bouncer! Wagner had moved over the wicket, the ball goes up looking for his nose. No room to work with, too much height to control the pull. Gets a top edge and it becomes a simple catch to Sodhi. Good cricket from New Zealand. They first session went away from them, but they've not wilted. Kohli's a brilliant puller of the ball, but Wagner was, if you'll believe it on this slow pitch, just a bit too quick for him 167/3
    63.6 Craig's persistence pays off, he's got Rahane at short leg! Beautiful bowling there - he kept tossing them outside off, and this time the ball had that length to turn enough before reaching Rahane to take the edge and lob up for short leg. It was neither short enough to go back, not full enough for him to lunge forward 209/5
    82.6 Rohit has given it away, again! Chips it to mid-on. Wanted to go over him, and hit it a lot straighter too, but the ball dipped on him and cramped him a touch as well, not allowed him to play the shot as he wanted 261/6
    85.5 taken at gully! Brilliant work from Boult. This was the cross-seamer angled in and pitched up so Ashwin had to play. It gripped the dry pitch, held its line, took the edge and is then safely held by Ross Taylor. 273/8
    83.5 tip your hat to the bowler and head off for a cup of tea, because that was unplayable. An inswinger that defies the docile pitch for the quicks and the lack of atmospheric help. It's that SG seam. So prominent. So useful in the hands of a good bowler. Boult pitches it on middle and off and jerks it in through the gap between bat and pad. Saha was in no position to keep it out and the ball kicks the leg bail off its perch with the other bail firmly in place. B-e-a-utiful! 262/7
    not out
    42
    44
    59
    7
    1
    95.45
    87.1 through him! Inswing too good for a No. 10. It was pitched in line with off stump, then yanked through the gap between bat and pad as Shami sought to defend and unseats the off bail. 277/9
    96.6 has he gloved it to the keeper? Umpire Tucker says yes. Short ball again, angled into the body, cramping him, making him worry for his safety. Yadav, instinctively tried to fend it, then he realised he shouldn't bring his bat in line with the ball. But by the time he tried to take it away, it kissed the glove, glanced off his side and through to Watling 318/10
    Extras
    6 (b 5, lb 1)
    TOTAL
    318 all out (97 Overs, RR: 3.27, 397 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-42 (KL Rahul, 10.6 ov), 2-154 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 48.4 ov), 3-167 (Virat Kohli, 51.3 ov), 4-185 (Murali Vijay, 58.1 ov), 5-209 (Ajinkya Rahane, 63.6 ov), 6-261 (Rohit Sharma, 82.6 ov), 7-262 (Wriddhiman Saha, 83.5 ov), 8-273 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 85.5 ov), 9-277 (Mohammed Shami, 87.1 ov), 10-318 (Umesh Yadav, 96.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    TA Boult2036733.3500
    N Wagner1544222.8000
    MJ Santner2329434.0800
    MD Craig2465912.4500
    IS Sodhi1535013.3300
  • BATSMEN
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    4s
    6s
    SR
    9.3 trapped in front! Swing. Inswing. Careens into the pads, slipping Guptill's defences. He fell over again, the front leg planted on middle and off stump. And from that position it is very hard to handle a very quick, full ball darting back into you 35/1
    58
    151
    220
    5
    0
    38.41
    51.5 goes straight on! These aren't tricks, folks. This is pure skill from Ashwin. Putting a lot more body into his action, which helps him drift the ball into the left-hander from around the stumps. And that drift happens late. Latham is prodding forward, defending outside the line and his front pad is ripe for attack 159/2
    55.4 he makes sure it needs a bit of magic to get him out, and Ashwin has produced it. You little beauty! He had to go back, because the length was a touch short. It was quite a distance outside off too, so he wouldn't have expected to be bowled. Williamson was shaping to pat it through cover, but Ashwin has given this so much rip and the pitch gives it a bit of love too. As good a dismissal as an offspinner can hope 170/4
    52.3 happens all the time in India. All it takes is one strike. Jadeja sneaks in the slider, the news has not reached Taylor's front pad. He was defending around it, which is never good. At first, it seemed like it may have slid down leg. Off was visible, so was a slight bit of middle. Umpire Kettleborough is confident enough to give him. Then again, it might end up as umpire's call if DRS was in play 160/3
    79.1 ooof, that looked bad. I was convinced it had hit Ronchi on the full, while he was sweeping a ball that was in line with the stumps. Misses it completely - his shot selection was poor. Umpire Tucker sends him on his way, but it is later that I, at least, realise the ball was not a full toss hitting him on the front pad. It dipped and turned. Hit Ronch on the back pad after turning quite a bit. May well have missed off stump 219/5
    91.1 gets him first ball after lunch! Seems harsh to call it a mistake, but Santner was never going to reach the pitch of this good length ball so him going forward and prodding at it was a low-percentage shot. Made worse by the turn off the pitch. Kisses the outside edge and Saha takes an outstanding catch, staying low and moving to his left 255/6
    95.5 caught and bowled! Kanpur roars. Four wickets in 10 balls for India's super spinners. Slowed it down beautifully. Watling was coming down the pitch, and yet the ball dipped on him. The cover drive took the inside edge and popped back to the bowler. Ashwin dives to his right and takes it well 262/10
    94.2 traps him in front of middle and off! Given by umpire Kettleborough and he's bang on. The ball is quite full, and it may have stayed a touch low as well. Craig was trying ot flick, and with a closed face of his bat, he hasn't given himself a chance. Exemplifies the threat Jadeja poses. With his accuracy, all it takes is one ball to misbehave 258/7
    94.3 two in two! Another quicker delivery, strikes Sodhi in front of leg stump, and he wasn't entirely forward either. It may just have straightened enough. 258/8
    94.6 tries to defend, without coming forward, and the ball has popped up to silly point - off his own boot, India reckon. The third umpire is called to adjudicate the catch. The no-ball is out of the way. Right onto the toe, and Rohit was alert enough to dive forward, reach with his right hand and pluck a stunning catch. That's five for Jadeja, his third in three first-class innings and his fifth in Test cricket. And a triple-wicket maiden! 258/9
    not out
    0
    0
    3
    0
    0
    -
    Extras
    15 (b 8, lb 5, nb 2)
    TOTAL
    262 all out (95.5 Overs, RR: 2.73, 389 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Martin Guptill, 9.3 ov), 2-159 (Tom Latham, 51.5 ov), 3-160 (Ross Taylor, 52.3 ov), 4-170 (Kane Williamson, 55.4 ov), 5-219 (Luke Ronchi, 79.1 ov), 6-255 (Mitchell Santner, 91.1 ov), 7-258 (Mark Craig, 94.2 ov), 8-258 (Ish Sodhi, 94.3 ov), 9-258 (Trent Boult, 94.6 ov), 10-262 (BJ Watling, 95.5 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    Mohammed Shami1113503.1800
    UT Yadav1553312.2000
    RA Jadeja3477352.1402
    R Ashwin30.579343.0100
    M Vijay401002.5000
    RG Sharma10505.0000
  • BATSMEN
    R
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    4s
    6s
    SR
    18.1 he's cut it straight to slip! That's rather anti-climactic. Sodhi delivers one of those weird ones that only a legspinner can take a wicket out of. Short, spinning away, good enough to hammer through point. Rahul though plays it late. A bit too late, really. And the ball glances off the high part of the bat and Taylor at slip takes an outstanding catch, low to his left 52/1
    76
    170
    229
    8
    1
    44.70
    56.2 slider knocks him over! Vijay is quite reluctant to leave the field though. He thinks there was some bat and he's right - there is, but it comes after the good length ball had pinned his front pad right in front of off stump. Made the mistake of playing for turn - and the last ball did turn. Could very well have been set up. Top decision from umpire Tucker too! 185/2
    70.3 you little beauty! Pujara, for once, doesn't get as far forward as he should have and plonked the bat in front of his pad. The ball turns sharply from well outside leg, takes the outside edge and Taylor takes a fine catch, low to his left 228/4
    67.3 spurt of aggression from Kohli and it doesn't serve him well. When you play the sweep, you have to be looming over the ball. He knows he didn't. He knew he had ended up reaching for the ball, not the best line to sweep. Knew it the minute he top-edged the ball with deep midwicket lurking. Impatience gets the better of a batsman who can be very good if he just trusts his defence more. Craig's 50th Test wicket 214/3
    88.5 superb catch from Taylor at slip, diving quite a distance to his right. Had Rahane coming forward and defending a little bit away from his body. That's what New Zealand didn't do enough yesterday. A little bit of turn helps Santner take the outside edge. It was a fairly thick one too, heading towards gully. But Taylor, having watched the ball carefully, was able to move quickly 277/5
    not out
    68
    93
    156
    8
    0
    73.11
    not out
    50
    58
    87
    2
    3
    86.20
    Extras
    9 (b 1, lb 8)
    TOTAL
    377/5d (107.2 Overs, RR: 3.51, 449 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-52 (KL Rahul, 18.1 ov), 2-185 (Murali Vijay, 56.2 ov), 3-214 (Virat Kohli, 67.3 ov), 4-228 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 70.3 ov), 5-277 (Ajinkya Rahane, 88.5 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    TA Boult903403.7700
    MJ Santner32.2117922.4400
    MD Craig2338013.4700
    N Wagner1655203.2500
    IS Sodhi2029924.9500
    MJ Guptill401704.2500
    KS Williamson30702.3300
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    3.5 beautiful bowling! He spoke about how he had seen NZ left-handers plonking their front foot straight down the pitch. And Latham's front leg - on middle and off - is put under siege. Hit in line with off stump, would take out middle. Great skill from Ashwin. Looked like the off break that didn't turn. Latham was playing for the ball to pitch on a good length and veer away. 3/2
    3.1 goes to sweep, but I think an inside edge has lobbed off his pads to silly point. Umpire Kettleborough takes his time to decide, and makes a superb call as the replays indicate. Guptill had seen wide open spaces deep on the leg side and looked to target them. But he didn't quite have the room as Ashwin tossed this delivery up around the fifth stump. And he was a little too close to the ball to pull off a shot that needs room 2/1
    17.5 does him in! That's Ashwin's 200th, second fastest in Test history. It's quick. It turns. It strikes Williamson on the move as he goes back and in line with off stump. The NZ captain was attempting a flick, but the deviation off the pitch is too quick for him. 43/3
    21.3 direct hit and is Taylor's bat in the air?! Good grief, he has reached safety but has failed to ground his bat! Yadav cannot stop smiling after nailing the stumps from deep midwicket. He has caught a very experienced batsman doing something school boys wouldn't. Two was always on after the ball went off the inside edge as Ronchi attempted a drive through cover. But Taylor should really be more careful. Seventh run-out of his career 56/4
    57.4 that's poor. He was not to the pitch of the flatter delivery on middle and off. But he was hitting against the turn. Slogging against it, really, looking to deposit it over wide long-on. Gets a leading edge that pops to point. Had a look of, 'fiddlesticks [Closest PG word I could think of], did I really do that' on his face the minute the ball leapt up off his outside edge 158/5
    79.2 unplayable! Honestly. It pitched more than a set of stumps outside leg. Then it leaps up at the batsman like a scary little terrier. Santner was squared up by the turn, surprised by the bounce. The outside edge from the shoulder of the bat is safely pouched at silly point. Santner stood where he was and smiled in bemused fashion, wondering if physics should have allowed such a thing to happen. 223/8
    67.6 given! Watling has been trapped in front. Pad first, then bat. Shami gets one to jag back in prodigiously. Fuller than a good length - an ideal length. The ball comes back in and strikes Watling in front of leg, bringing his bat down way too late. Umpire Kettleborough raises the finger to add to NZ's misery. Big wicket this, Watling has one of NZ's staunchest defences 194/6
    69.1 straight through and Shami strikes again. Beautiful display of reverse swing bowling. The ball darts back in from a full length, moves in the air and sneaks through a massive gap between bat and pad. Craig's feet are nowhere, plausibly to avoid the lbw but the stumps are exposed and Shami finds a way through. Started that nice and wide outside off to create doubt. Lovely bowling this from Shami 196/7
    17
    38
    50
    2
    1
    44.73
    83.3 moved too far across to play a flick and a ball he flicks out of the front of his hand, and yet the seam is bolt upright pointing to slip, pitches on leg stump, straightens and topples it! Sticks his tongue out and wags his forefinger at the batsman, not unlike a cheeky professor telling his students off. He likes the new ball. He hates the old one because it goes soft and doesn't turn as quickly. That's Ashwin's 19th five-for in only 37Tests 236/9
    not out
    2
    30
    22
    0
    0
    6.66
    87.3 pins him in front and Ashwin wraps up the 500th Test for India with his fifth ten-wicket haul as well. Sneaks in the carrom ball, pitches it on off stump, veers it into the left-hander. Wagner had no clue about the variation. He was playing for off stump and was a dead duck 236/10
    Extras
    3 (lb 2, nb 1)
    TOTAL
    236 all out (87.3 Overs, RR: 2.69, 323 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Martin Guptill, 3.1 ov), 2-3 (Tom Latham, 3.5 ov), 3-43 (Kane Williamson, 17.5 ov), 4-56 (Ross Taylor, 21.3 ov), 5-158 (Luke Ronchi, 57.4 ov), 6-194 (BJ Watling, 67.6 ov), 7-196 (Mark Craig, 69.1 ov), 8-223 (Mitchell Santner, 79.2 ov), 9-236 (Ish Sodhi, 83.3 ov), 10-236 (Neil Wagner, 87.3 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    Mohammed Shami821822.2500
    R Ashwin35.3513263.7100
    RA Jadeja34175811.7001
    UT Yadav812302.8700
    M Vijay20301.5000

Close of Play

  • Thu, 22 Sep - day 1 - India 1st innings 291/9 (RA Jadeja 16*, UT Yadav 8*, 90 ov)
  • Fri, 23 Sep - day 2 - New Zealand 1st innings 152/1 (TWM Latham 56*, KS Williamson 65*, 47 ov)
  • Sat, 24 Sep - day 3 - India 2nd innings 159/1 (M Vijay 64*, CA Pujara 50*, 47 ov)
  • Sun, 25 Sep - day 4 - New Zealand 2nd innings 93/4 (L Ronchi 38*, MJ Santner 8*, 37 ov)
  • Mon, 26 Sep - day 5 - New Zealand 2nd innings 236 (87.3 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

One more

1

No. of India bowlers who took more 10-wicket hauls in Tests than Ashwin who picked his 5th such haul in this match. Kumble had 8 while Harbhajan also took 5.

Lots of fifties, no centuries

2

No. of Tests which have had more fifties from batsmen without a single century, than this Test which has had 10 fifties so far.

All-round Santner

1988

Last time a NZ player scored 50 or more runs and took 5 or more wickets in a Test in India, before Santner - John Bracewell at Wankhede in 1988-89.

Steady Ronchi

2

Fifties for Ronchi in his career of 2 Tests so far, including this. He had made 88 & 31 in his debut Test and 38 and a fifty in this Test.

Second fastest

1

No. of bowlers who completed 200 Test wickets in fewer matches than Ashwin's 37 Tests. Clarrie Grimmett achieved it in 36 Tests, the fastest.

Huge target

1

No. of higher targets set by India in Tests against NZ than the 434 in this match. India had set 617 in Wellington in 2008-09.

Quick partnership

56

No. of balls in which Rohit and Jadeja added 50 runs for the sixth wicket.

Spinners doing the damage

3

No. of Tests in which NZ spinners took 10 or more wickets against India, including this. The previous 2: Nagpur 1969-70 (19 wkts) and Ahmedebad 2010-11 (12).

Enough on board?

276

Highest 4th inns total by a visiting team in India, by West Indies at Kotla in 1987-88. India's lead has gone past 300 already.

Nothing big

78

Runs scored by Kohli in Tests since his double-century against West Indies in the first Test. His scores since then being 44, 3, 4, 9, 18.

Second-wicket galore

3

No. of Tests that have had three century partnerships for the 2nd wicket, including this match. The other two: Eng v Aus, Lord's, 1953 and Aus v Pak, MCG, 1972-73.

Top-three's contribution

2008

Last time each of India's top-three made scores of 30 or more in both innings of a Test, before this - vs Aus in Mohali. This is the 5th such instance for India.

Rahul-Vijay's first

48

Previous highest opening stand between KL Rahul and Vijay in Tests, before this in 5 inns. This is the first time they have shared a 50+ stand.