Pujara, Rahane play defiant knocks but fail to carry on as India end Day 1 at 239/7 at the Eden Gardens.
Cheteshwar Pujara was furious. He worked tirelessly for his 87 but played a rash shot and handed a catch to short-cover. He dragged himself off the field slower than Inzamam ul-Haq usually did. Just when the hosts were beginning to put their foot on the pedal, Pujara’s wicket broke the momentum and a flurry of wickets led to the scoreboard reading 239 for 7 before play was called off due to bad light.
At 46 for 3, Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane found themselves in a situation that Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman often found themselves – to bail the team out of trouble. Brushing strike-rates aside, they began to graft along, playing out some disciplined Kiwi bowling and putting away the odd loose ball. Only 79 runs were scored in the 31 overs bowled in the second session but India went to tea unscathed. Pujara’s wicket brought an end to their enterprising 141 run stand and got the hosts back into the game again.
In a surprise selection for India’s 250th test at home, the team management chose to give Shikhar Dhawan the nod ahead of an in-form Gautam Gambhir on a pitch that was likely to aid seamers during the first hour. Dhawan didn’t disappoint critics as he chopped one back onto his stumps scoring a solitary run. Murali Vijay (9) fell soon after, reducing India to 28 for 2.
Just as Virat Kohli admitted to having spoken to Pujara to work on his strike-rate, he forgot to tell himself of adapting to a test match scenario and not chasing balls outside the off-stump. After hitting Trent Boult for his trademark cover drive earlier in the over, the skipper attempted an encore only to have encountered some extra bounce and lob a sharp catch to the fielder at gully. He managed only 9, similar to the first innings in Kanpur.
Rohit Sharma was possibly playing at his favourite ground, but one scoring shot and a run-out cum injury scare later, he was caught at bat-pad off the bowling of a few kilos heavier Jeetan Patel who also trapped Ajinkya Rahane (77) with a quicker delivery that trapped him in front of the sticks.
A thing of note here was the discipline with which the New Zealand bowlers bowled. Apart from very few loose balls, they did not allow easy rotation of strike which was evident from the fact that India managed to hit 37 fours and a six out of their 239 runs. Matt Henry (3 for 35) was the star for the black caps as he accounted for Dhawan, Vijay and Ravichandran Ashwin later in the day. He was ably supported by the rest of the bowlers with Patel picking two along with Boult and Wagner who had a wicket apiece.
India would again rely on Ravindra Jadeja to provide the impetus tomorrow morning to get them to a fighting total. With the pitch posing question marks as to which way it will head, tomorrow will possibly be the best day to bat.
hormazfatakia 
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