No final-day twist: New Zealand win by 8 wickets

PTI Bengaluru: New Zealand survived a hostile Jasprit Bumrah spell to foil India's attempt to add a final-day twist to an absorbing series-opener, slaying the cricketing giants at home by eight wickets and ending a 36-year-long wait to taste Test success in the country, here Sunday This is Kiwis' first Test win on the Indian soil after the John Wright-led outfit towelled India by 136 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, way back in 1988.

Even hunting a modest 107 on the fifth day against a world-class attack could be nervy, and New Zealand did that after some initial scares. Will Young (48 not out) and Rachin Ravindra (39 not out) fuelled their chase with a 75-run stand for the third wicket, handholding their side a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. However, the Indians will not be an entirely despondent lot despite the defeat as they showed admirable spunk to claw back from the depths of getting bowled out for 46 in the first innings. They will need to build on it and pretty quickly too as the second Test at Pune starts on October 24. The Rohit Sharma-marshalled side will also have to think deeply about retaining Sarfaraz Khan, who made a 150 in the second dig, as Shubman Gill is poised to return after recovering from a stiff neck. The other point they will moot long is whether to go back to the three-pacer strategy or continue three spinners, a move which backfired here spectacularly, in Pune.

New Zealand victory did not come without its share of drama once the day's play started at 10.15am, a wet outfield pushing back the proceedings by an hour. Bumrah (2/29), operating from the dressing room end, found appreciable movement and Tom Latham fell in the first over of the day itself for his overnight naught. Latham was behind the ball to cover the in-dipper but it swung back further to thud on to his pads as umpire Michael Gough raised his finger after vociferous appeal from the bowler.