On a surface that could increasingly assist the spinners, India moved into a dominant position at the conclusion of the second day of the third Test at the VCA ground, here, on Sunday. The host holds all the aces.
Dismissing New Zealand for 193, India progressed to 292 for two at stumps with the accomplished pair of Rahul Dravid (69) and Sachin Tendulkar (57 ) at the crease. The odd delivery has turned and bounced on this surface.
Dravid consolidated on India's strong start – a rampant Virender Sehwag and a fighting Gautam Gambhir put on 113 for the opening wicket - and built partnerships of 79 with Gambhir and an unbeaten 100 with Tendulkar.
The composed Dravid was solid in defence and was judicious in his stroke-making off either foot. A back-foot punch through covers off left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori was high on quality. So was his scorching straight-drive off Tim Southee. Dravid's batsmanship is underlined by balance.
Tendulkar, approaching a historic 50th Test century, began with a flowing cover-drive off Southee. The maestro, then, proceeded to play a watchful innings of grace and poise. There were flashes of his brilliance such as his fleet-footed on-drive off Vettori.
Earlier, Gambhir took another step towards regaining top form.
Watching different batsmen at work is often a fascinating exercise. Both Gambhir and Jesse Ryder, who played a combative innings on day one, are left-handers but their technique is different.
Gambhir has a flourishing back-lift, relies on the momentum of the willow. Ryder has a much shorter back-lift, depends more on his strong wrists to generate power. Gambhir is a more fluent driver off his front-foot, Ryder get his runs in front of the wicket with whip-drives than full-fledged ones with the extension of the willow.
Gambhir battled through a tentative phase early in the innings and came perilously close to being adjudged leg-before to left-arm paceman Andy McKay. The delivery was slanted in, Gambhir played across, and replays indicated the batsman was out.
The southpaw had another slice of luck on 19 when Ryder grassed a sharp chance at short-leg after Vettori beat the batsman in flight.
The southpaw gradually found his rhythm. Gambhir's front-footed cover-drive off McKay streaked to the fence. He used the depth of the crease to cut and late cut Vettori.
Apart from that one `life,' Gambhir used his feet well against Vettori. A left-hander has some inherent advantages while facing a left-arm spinner; he has the opportunity to play with the turn.
Vettori did change the angle when he went over the wicket and got the ball to straighten but Gambhir was sure-footed with his response.
By landing the ball short, the Kiwi pacemen bowled the wrong length on this track. Sehwag (74) was given the room to cut, steer, guide and pull the pacemen. One one occasion when Chris Martin pitched up to Sehwag, he forced an edge through slips.
When Vettori flighted, a rampant Sehwag waltzed down for a rousing six over long-on; the opener's batting is a heady mix of that rare ability to pick the length early, bat-speed and a spirit of adventure. Sehwag put pressure on the opposition
The Kiwi strikes came against the run of play. Getting a delivery to curl in, Vettori beat Sehwag in the air to hold a return catch after a struggle. And Gambhir played away from his body to a Southee delivery lacking in length to be pouched in the cordon.
The Kiwi bowling was a mixed bag. Debutant McKay generated pace from a whippy action – he consistently clocked above 140 kmph – and did seam the ball just a shade. He forced an edge from Dravid (on 49) but the ball fell just short of a diving Gareth Hopkins, the 'keeper.
Martin lacked consistency and Southee was probing only in parts. Vettori bowled capably but without much support. The Kiwis failed to create pressure.
The visitor, however, tried a few interesting field placements. When Tendulkar had just come in, Southee bowled to a very short mid-on, a short mid-wicket, a leg-slip and a man to the left of the square-leg umpire.
The ploy indicated that Southee would either test the maestro with short pitched deliveries or force him to miscue a drive on the on-side. However, this could have been a ruse to lure Tendulkar outside off and a secure nick to the 'keeper. Tendulkar is too canny to fall for the bait.
In the morning, Ishant Sharma prised out the dangerous Brendon McCullum (40) with an off-stump line. Southee (38) struck some lusty off Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha but it was only a matter of time before the New Zealand innings concluded.
Scores
New Zealand (Ist innings): T. McIntosh b Sreesanth 4 (32b, 1x4), M. Guptill c Dhoni b Sreesanth 6 (14b, 1x4), R. Taylor lbw b Ishant 20 (24b, 3x4), J. Ryder c Raina b Harbhajan 59 (113b, 5x4), K. Williamson c Sehwag b Ojha 0 (3b), D. Vettori b Ishant 3 (6b), G. Hopkins c Raina b Ojha 7 (36b, 1x4), B. McCullum c Dhoni b Ishant 40 (84b, 4x4), T. Southee c Sehwag b Ojha 38 (68b, 2x4, 3x6), A. McKay b Ishant 5 (16b, 1x4), C. Martin (not out) 2 (6b), Extras (b-1, lb-5, nb-3) 9, Total (all out in 66.3 overs) 193.
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Guptill), 2-16 (McIntosh), 3-42 (Taylor), 4-43 (Williamson), 5-51 (Vettori), 6-82 (Hopkins), 7-124 (Ryder), 8-159 (McCullum), 9-165 (McKay).
India bowling: Sreesanth 12-4-28-2, Ishant 18-4-43-4, Ojha 19.3-2-57-3, Harbhajan 17-2-59-1.
India (Ist innings): G. Gambhir c Taylor b Southee 78 (127b, 12x4), V. Sehwag c & b Vettori 74 (73b, 12x4, 1x6), R. Dravid (batting) 69 (162b, 8x4), S. Tendulkar (batting) 57 (126b, 7x4), Extras (b-8, lb-3, w-2, nb-1) 14, Total (for two wickets in 82 overs) 292.
Fall of wickets: 1-113 (Sehwag), 2-192 (Gambhir).
New Zealand bowling: Martin 13-0-58-0, Southee 13-3-41-1, McKay 18-5-47-0, Vettori 30-3-101-1, Williamson 3-0-18-0, Guptill 5-0-16-0.
