Ind vs Ind in last-day epic

Bengaluru, Mumbai boys save Kanpur Test for Kiwis

By Mohammed Rumman Khan | NT

It’s a victory of Test Cricket, isn’t it? Who says Tests are boring? You don’t say! Here’s an interesting tale that entices you to fall in love with the longest format of the game. Rachin Ravindra staved off 91 balls from India’s spinners to help earn his side a thrilling draw in the first test against India on Monday. The debutant, named after two of India’s greatest batters, finished not out on 18 under extreme pressure to help the Black Caps score a meritorious draw when India looked likely to wrap up victory in the dying stages. Kiwis No 11 Ajaz Patel managed to remain unbeaten from 23 balls as bad light brought the end of play with India still likely to have two more overs to get the last wicket before time expired.

New Zealand began the final day needing 284 for an unlikely victory, with the more likely goal being to bat out the day for the hard-fought draw they eventually grabbed.

After a solid start which saw opener Tom Latham and nightwatcher Will Somerville bat through the first session, Ravichandran Ashwin (3-35) and Ravindra Jadeja (4-40) put NZ in a spin in the latter stages and seemed set to secure victory for the hosts before NZ’s last-wicket’s gritty stand.

The draw halted a string of six test defeats for NZ in India, stretching back to 2010.

It also meant the world test champions began their title defence with a draw against the side they triumphed over in June’s final, giving them four points to start their new campaign. The New Zealand camp is very happy that they have held on to draw the game.

The visitors, who resumed their second innings at their overnight score of 4 for one, lost four more wickets in the post-tea session.

Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar Patel (21-12-23-1) had to really push hard but it once again showed that Indian spinners might not be completely effective on tracks that don’t start cracking from at the least second day. The only thing that went in favour of India on the final day was the low bounce as defending for a very long period wasn’t an option.

It was one of India’s most hardfought Test matches at home in recent times and no one would grudge the ‘Good Men’ from New Zealand again showing their wares in adversity.

The last half an hour was a thriller with umpires Nitin Menon and Virender Sharma checking light and Ravindra appreciating Patel for every copybook forward defensive stroke.Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma (22 wicket-less overs in match) is looking completely off-colour since England and his place in the eleven ought to be questioned.

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer deservedly and expectedly walked away with the Player of the Match honours for his assured debut which yielded him a century and a half century. With change of guard in captaincy in the Indian team, it will be interesting to see who will be the playing 11 in the second test which wil start in Mumbai on this Friday. And how a much-talked partnership -Dravid-Kohli- unfold.

(With inputs from Agencies)