Not really a dust bowl but the pitch at the Green Park rekindled memories of India’s dominance at home. It is all about winning. Any why not? Winning is a habit and this Indian team is determined not to embrace embarrassment in conditions, not tailor-made, but conducive to their game. The spinners, R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, drove home the point that in sub-continental conditions they are a lethal pair to deal with.
India was expectedly sniffing victory in the first Test when New Zealand, set 434 runs to win, was reduced to 93 for four — the cream of the batting succumbing to the spinning guile of Ashwin after Jadeja had wreaked havoc in the first with five wickets.
India, resuming at 159 for one, may have stretched its batting but the plan was clearly to create pressure of a magnitude where a victory was beyond the imagination of the visiting side.
No footworkNew Zealand’s lack of temperament to survive on such a surface was apparent in the absence of any footwork. It was not hard to understand the Kiwi dilemma since they hardly have any experience of playing on such slow and spinner-friendly pitches.
That India meant business was evident in the furious pace that the batsmen set when play resumed in the backdrop of clouds in the distance. The urgency did not mean they were going to throw the bat around but New Zealand failed to make an impact with their inexperienced slow bowlers.
To bowl well on an over-friendly pitch can be a challenge too. And all the more when you have a batsman like Rohit Sharma to contend with.
M. Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara, the overnight batsmen, did not get the centuries they had dreamt of. Their 133-run second wicket partnership set the stage for Virat Kohli and Rohit to plunder runs, given their penchant to create scoring chances at will.
In the event, Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane perished, the former to a ball that ought to have landed in the galleries but the batsman paid for the extra elevation.
Rohit, under intense pressure to make amends for the casual dismissal in the first innings, wasted little time in scattering the field and playing his natural game. He spent a busy period at the crease and produced a neat knock in the company of Jadeja, who seems incapable of doing anything wrong.
Rohit timed his shots superbly in the afternoon and read the pitch the best. He came to the middle with the firm backing of his coach and captain and decimated the bowlers with his wide range of shots. He was able to pick the ball early and that gave him enough time to place his shots.
Enhancing his reputationJadeja, playing his part well, helped himself to a half century that must enhance his credentials as an all-rounder. At this level, on such pitches, and against such opposition, he does qualify as one.
With Ashwin finding his rhythm early in the New Zealand innings, there was bound to be action with the off-spinner calling the shots. He explored different angles even at the expense of bowling short at times.
Jadeja too bowled a few loose deliveries on the responsive track.
For New Zealand, it was a struggle. The batsmen stayed rooted to the crease and allowed India to make regular breakthroughs.
Martin Guptill failed to read the extra turn while Tom Latham could not read the straight ball; Kane Williamson, the man India wanted the most, was beaten by pace and turn. Ashwin had snared the best Kiwi batsman.
When Ross Taylor ran himself out the New Zealand dressing room was faced with the onerous task of arresting the slide. Luke Ronchi and Mitchell Santner managed to delay the defeat. Unless it pours at the Green Park Stadium on Monday!
