NZ VS IND - 1st Test, India tour of New Zealand, 2020

*****

Harsha Bhogle: Three middle order batsmen scored 22,21,22 and the players who got runs, Agarwal and Rahane, didn't get enough. And Ashwin the batsman needs to reappear. Have an extra day to regroup but these are good players and you have to back them to deliver.

The ghosts of the ghastly tour of 2002-03 to New Zealand have just come back to haunt India again. Or is this performance just an aberration? India were blanked 0-3 in the ODIs coming in to this Test. Little did they do to improve their record on the tour. The 5-0 whitewash in the T20Is seems like a while ago now. The toss was crucial and it didn't go India'sway. But India didn't control the controllables. There were a few soft dismissals on day 1. The bowling on day 2 took time to hit the right straps and they let the tailenders get away on day 3. Indians only have questions staring at them ahead of the next Test. The hosts on the other hand will have problems of plenty as Neil Wagner is supposed to come back.Tom Blundell also should be fine to start for the next Test. Till then it's Kumar Abhisekh Das signing off on behalf of Pradeep Krishnamurthy, Hariprasad Sadanandan, Vineet Anantharaman and Venkatesh. Ciao!

Harsha Bhogle: Comprehensively outplayed. Were in New Zealand long enough to get attuned. Yes, Kohli and Bumrah aren't in their best form but the openers need to set the game and that didn't happen. New Zealand were just the better side!

Kane Williamson: It was an outstanding effort over a space of 4 days. We know how strong this India team is all over the world. The effort that went into the first innings to get the ball in the right areas for long periods of time did help. With the bat to get what was a very competitive total on a surface which offered something throughout the game was very important. The lower order runs are very important to get some sort of a handy lead. It was brilliant, the wicket. We didn't know what to expect looking at it the day before. The grass cover did brown off. The bowling attack was brilliant. We were able to get some swing thanks to the ground being windy. Kyle Jamieson has been brilliant throughout the summer with the white ball as well. He contributed in a number of ways. A great debut for him. Great experience for him to bowl with a somewhat settled group. Southee came in and wanted to operate as best as he could. The left arm and right arm combination has done it for us and they showed it again especially with the old ball. The passion and the energy they showed was brilliant. Tom Blundell is alright and was just a precautionary thing. He says his pain is 2 out of 10.

Virat Kohli: Day 1, the toss did turn out to be very important. But at the same time, we take a lot of pride in being competitive as a batting unit and we were just not competitive enough. I don't think we put their bowlers under enough pressure. Anything over 220-230 and we would have been talking a different language. Even the deficit looks lot lesser if you get that score and take those last three wickets cheaply. The first innings really put us behind in the game and the lead put us under pressure. As a bowling group, we have been pretty competitive in bowling good channels for long periods of time. Till about 7 wickets, we were pretty good. The wicket did get better. The last 3 wickets and those 120 runs hurt us and pushed us out of the game. Overall, we did put in a good effort but can still be more disciplined. It doesn't need to be pointed to them as the bowlers have recognized themselves. That can happen at the international level. You don't have to be too hard on the guys. Prithvi has played only two games away from home. He is a natural strokemaker and would figure out things to get the runs going. Mayank was outstanding in both the innings. Him and Jinks were the only two batters who got some tempo. We just need to stick our template as a batting unit.

Tim Southee, Man of the Match: A great win. To beat a quality Indian side, the way we have is very pleasing. The effort throughout from everyone was outstanding. I think this morning was a massive moment in the game. Being able to pick up those two wickets before the second new ball was crucial. The more you play, you get back into the rhythm. If you want to play three formats, you got to chop and change. As a bowling unit, to take 20 wickets and an effort like this was pretty pleasing. The wicket had more in it than usual. With the wind there, the ball did a bit more.

Stats, by Deepu Narayanan: 20 of New Zealand's 100 wins have come at the Basin Reserve (in 64 Tests) - most for them at a single venue. Their 20 defeats at this venue also happens to be the most for them at a venue.

Matches to 100 Test wins
199 Australia (1951)
241 England (1939)
266 West Indies (1988)
310 South Africa (2006)
320 Pakistan (2006)
432 India (2009)
441 New Zealand (2020)

Ten wicket wins for NZ vs India
Christchurch 1989/90
Wellington 2002/03
Wellington 2019/20

India's Test defeats after batting 1st under Virat Kohli
innings & 159 runs vs Eng Lord's 2018
10 wickets vs NZ Wellington 2019/20 *

India let the game drift as NZ took a lead of 183. Indian batting had to stand up but they were up against Boult and Southee. The pacers hunted as a pair and their impeccable and metronomical lines were too good for the Indian batters. Shaw's technique was exposed, Pujara didn't know where his next run would come, Virat, unlike his true-self, lacked assurance in the middle and Agarwal was strangled down leg. India needed a miracle on day 4 but there was no such watershed moment as Southee pouched a fifer to derail the Indians.

13:08 Local Time, 00:08 GMT, 05:38 IST: Heard about monday blues? The Indian cricket team can explain it the best for sure. They have just received an absolute shellacking in the first Test. Right from the toss, nothing went India's way. The ball swung around on day 1 and the Indian top-order was blown away pretty quickly. Mayank Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane tried the rescue act but didn't succeed. Rain took away the honours in the final session on day 1. Day 2 had KW leaving his imprint on the game with a finely crafted 89. Day 3 had India's problem in dealing with the opposition tail. And it ain't a cliche anymore.

Bumrah to Tom Blundell, 1 run, that's it! 100th Test win for NZ. The hosts have trounced the number 1 Test team by 10 wickets. India have a lot of thunking to do ahead of the next Test. That was on the pads and tucked behind square for a single

Bumrah to Tom Blundell, no run, back of a length delivery and has been punched off the back foot into the off-side

Bumrah to Tom Blundell, no run, on a length, outside off and has been stabbed out into the off-side

Kailash Bhatia: "The total added by the last 5 wickets in both the Indian innings is less than that added by the last 3 NZ wickets in the 1st innings."

Bumrah to Tom Blundell, no run, length delivery and has been stabbed out into the off-side

Jasprit Bumrah, right-arm fast, comes into the attack

Ishant to Tom Blundell, 1 run, and the inside edge saves the batter there. Was a length delivery, decked in and Tom Blundell trying to close the face of the bat managed an inside edge. They scampered through for a single

Ishant to Tom Blundell, no run, fuller delivery outside off and Tom Blundell lets it go to the keeper

Harsha Bhogle: That was quick from New Zealand. And very disappointing from India. It was always going to be very tough but this was a pack of cards. Just 47 in 17 overs. The disappointing away run continues!

Ishant to Latham, 3 runs, on the pads and has been clipped away through the square leg region for a triple. Only 2 needed now

Ishant to Latham, no run, tentative push into the off-side as the ball was bowled fuller

Vishnu: "Everyone is picking reasons for poor batting and lack of intent etc. But how crucial was the toss? Had NZ batted first, things would have been a lot different."

Ishant to Latham, FOUR, fuller delivery and has been creamed into the covers for a four. That was pitched up outside off and Latham leant into it to put it away off the full face of the bat. Only 5 needed now

It would be NZ's 100th Test win as and when it happens.

Ishant to Latham, no run, length ball and has been blocked out to mid-on