1st Test: Rain forces early stumps after New Zealand begin pursuit of 107 against India

Bengaluru: Saturday saw a riveting turn of events in Test cricket action before rain forced early stumps on the fourth day of the match, just four balls after New Zealand began their pursuit of 107 against India at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Captain Tom Latham survived four deliveries from Jasprit Bumrah, including an lbw appeal off an inswinger, with replays showing the ball pitching outside leg, as India burnt a review. With the sky becoming quite dark, on-field umpires took the reading on the light meter and went off the field, though India didn’t seem to agree on it and argued with them.

That soon paved the way for ground staff to bring all the heavy covers on as rain arrived and became heavy to bring an end to the day’s proceedings, with New Zealand now needing play to happen without interruptions on Day Five to get their first Test win in India since 1988.

Previously, at one point, India were 408/3 and looked primed to set a big target for New Zealand, thanks to a thrilling counter-attacking 177-run stand for the fourth wicket between Sarfaraz Khan (150) and Rishabh Pant (99).

But once New Zealand took the second new ball, when India were at 400/3, they prised out the remaining seven wickets for just 54 runs as India crumbed to 462 all out in 99.3 overs, with fast-bowlers William O’Rourke and Matt Henry taking three wickets each.

For India, Sarfaraz slammed a fantastic maiden century laced with strokes mostly on square through the off-side, while Pant, despite limping due to an injury to his right knee, was exhilarating in his 99, his seventh Test score in the 90s.

Resuming at 70, Sarfaraz continued to be audacious in his approach and peppered the square boundary on the off-side with several cheeky back-foot cuts and slices. In the morning, with dark clouds hanging around, Sarfaraz welcomed O’Rourke with two cuts on the off-side, followed by taking another four and dispatching Henry for two more boundaries.

A huge mix-up between the two could have resulted in a run-out of Pant, who was halfway down the pitch if an out-of-position Tom Blundell hadn’t missed the throw at the stumps. After Pant got a mistimed loft off Henry over mid-on for four, Sarfaraz reached his hundred in a dominating fashion – a backfoot punch off Southee cleared the in-field for four – with the right-handed batter running while holding the bat high and his hands aloft.

He then took the helmet off, roared and swung the bat delightfully, before getting a bear hug from Pant, as the stadium was up on its feet to applaud an incredible knock under pressure. While Sarfaraz continued to paddle and dab his way to get more boundaries, a patient Pant began to cut loose by smashing Southee for six and four respectively.

He then showed good footwork in slamming Ajaz Patel for two mighty sixes, before getting to overturn a lbw decision as replays showed a big inside edge. It was followed by New Zealand burning a review on the very next ball as Pant got bat on the skiddy delivery.

Pant then got two more boundaries off Patel and Glenn Phillips to bring up his fifty in just 55 balls, quashing all queries on his fitness after hobbling off the field due to being hit on the right knee while being on wicketkeeping duties on the second day, before rain brought early lunch.

After a rain delay, Pant began by smacking, flat-batting and reverse-sweeping to get his early rush of boundaries. After Sarfaraz ramped O’Rourke for four, Pant cut through the gap and went inside-out to collect more boundaries. Sarfaraz drilled Phillips for a boundary before getting the single taking him to 150 for the first time in Tests.

But in the very next over, Sarfaraz went for the lofted cover drive, but extra bounce from Southee meant the ball lobbed to cover, bringing an end to his wonderful knock laced with 18 fours and three sixes. Pant left everyone astonished when he slog-swept Southee for a staggering 107-m six going on the roof of square leg boundary.

There was anticipation and nervousness in the crowd eager to see Pant get his hundred, but his attempt to punch off O’Rourke didn’t account for the extra bounce and rattled the leg-stump, as he got out for 99, laced with nine fours and five sixes.

O’Rourke again struck at the stroke of tea when Rahul poked at a short-of-length delivery and took edge behind. Post tea, O’Rourke had Ravindra Jadeja pulling to mid-wicket, followed by Henry trapping Ravichandran Ashwin lbw and having Bumrah nicking behind before wrapping up India’s innings when Mohammed Siraj hit straight to mid-on.

Brief scores:

India 46 and 462 all out in 99.3 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 150, Rishabh Pant 99; William O’Rourke 3-92, Matt Henry 3-102) lead New Zealand 402 and 0/0 in 0.4 overs by 106 runs

–IANS