New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra and Will Young walk back after winning the first Test against India in Bengaluru on October 20, 2024.
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

Jasprit Bumrah pushed and probed the New Zealand batters in overcast conditions. Morale was high when skipper Tom Latham was sent back in the first over.

But at the end of the day, India did not have enough runs to play with. Once the tense early overs passed, New Zealand was in the driver’s seat. Riding on an unbeaten 75-run third-wicket stand between Will Young (48 n.o., 76b, 7×4, 1×6) and Rachin Ravindra (39 n.o., 46b, 6×4), the Kiwis reached the 107-run target in the first Test with eight wickets to spare. This was New Zealand’s first Test win on Indian soil since 1988.

There was a sense that India could achieve the impossible when Bumrah had the ball in hand. He had the batters in all sorts of trouble, removing Latham with a sharp inswinger.

Devon Conway copped a few blows, but managed to hang on. That was until Bumrah worked his magic again, trapping Conway on the back pad. At 35 for two, the Indians had reason to believe that they were in with a chance.

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Young and Rachin, however, had other ideas. The duo shut the door on the Indians with positive strokeplay, finding the boundaries regularly. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja found the rough on occasion, but did not threaten. Kuldeep Yadav leaked 26 runs in his three overs, while offspinner R. Ashwin only got the two overs.

India paid the price for not including a third pacer in Akash Deep, who sat out to accommodate a three-man spin attack.

It was a terrific show from the calm Young, who was drafted in to replace the injured Kane Williamson. A six over mid-wicket off Kuldeep silenced the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium crowd and deflated the Indian team.

Rachin, high on confidence after scoring 134 in the first innings, continued his good run. The two batters went after the spinners, eager to finish the match in case rain returned.

The end came when Young made room and cut Jadeja to the fence. A beaming Rachin rushed in to hug his partner, and the New Zealand dressing room celebrated the end of a long, long wait for Test success in India.

The Indian team, and captain Rohit Sharma in particular, will be left ruing the decision to bat first on a seamer-friendly pitch. The home team was left chasing the game after being blown away for 46.

It was not all doom and gloom. A magnificent fightback in the second innings proved that the Indians truly never give up. Sarfaraz Khan’s 150 leaves the team management with the tough task of finding the Mumbaikar a spot once Shubman Gill recovers.

Mohammed Siraj, who struggled to make a mark on the fifth day, could find it hard to retain his spot. The second Test commences at Pune on October 28.

Scoreboard

INDIA – 1ST INNINGS: 46

NEW ZEALAND – 1ST INNINGS: 402

INDIA – 2ND INNINGS: 462

NEW ZEALAND – 2ND INNINGS: Tom Latham lbw b Bumrah 0 (6b), Devon Conway lbw b Bumrah 17 (39b, 3×4), Will Young (not out) 48 (76b, 7×4, 1×6), Rachin Ravindra (not out) 39 (46b, 6×4); Extras (b-4, lb-1, nb-1): 6

Total (for two wkts. in 27.4 overs): 110.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Latham, 0.6 overs), 2-35 (Conway, 12.3).

INDIA BOWLING: Bumrah 8-1-29-2, Siraj 7-3-16-0, Jadeja 7.4-1-28-0, Kuldeep 3-0-26-0, Ashwin 2-0-6-0.