Off-spinner all-rounder Washington Sundar ran through the New Zealand batting order to pick career-best figures of 7 for 59 as the visitors were bowled out for 259 by India on day one of the second Test at the MCA Stadium here on Thursday.
Opting to bat first, New Zealand touched 197 for three at one stage which seemed they would go on to 300. However, Washington produced an exhibition of drift and dip, varying his pace effectively and turned the game on its head for India, keeping New Zealand to just below 260.
His senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with 3-64, making it the first-ever instance of all ten wickets being taken by India's right-arm off-spinners in a Test match. Washington's inclusion over Kuldeep Yadav has raised quite a few eyebrows ahead of the game, but this wonderful performance on a slow black-soil pitch silenced all critics.
Through the morning session, five boundaries were added by Devon Conway and captain Tom Latham before the latter fell early to Ashwin. It was the length ball that came straight from the bowler after pitching on the leg-stump, trapping the left-handed batter lbw for 15 off 22 balls.
Conway and Will Young played some fluent singles and touched some boundaries every now and then, adding 44 runs for the second wicket as India's spinners bowled quicker through the air. Ashwin then choked Young down the leg side and Sarfaraz Khan at short leg advised his skipper Rohit Sharma to take a review.
Replays justified Sarfaraz's conviction, showing a spike on the ultra-edge when the ball passed off Young's gloves before being caught by Rishabh Pant. Conway stayed solid, especially with his sweeps, while Rachin Ravindra survived a few close calls till lunch.
Resuming at 92/2 after the break, Conway started with a cracking cover drive off Jasprit Bumrah to reach his fifty. He capitalized on width from Bumrah's deliveries, punching off the backfoot and opening the face of the bat to score back-to-back boundaries.
At the other end, Ravindra started to get into the groove by running through the gap between slip and gully for a Bumrah pace ball. Conway continued his onslaught of drives and reverse sweeps before poking at a short, spinning ball from Ashwin. The result was an edge that Pant cushioned.
While Ravindra took the run-scoring on his shoulders, lofting Jadeja for six, and gracefully flicking Akash Deep for four more, he reached his fifty, courtesy of a stylish flick down to the hands of short mid-wicket for four. It wasn't long before Ravindra added two more boundaries off Akash through cut and outside edge.
The 59-run stand for the fourth wicket between Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell was put to an end by Washington, who turned things around for India during the latter part of the second session with his dip and drift. The tossed-up ball from Washington turned sharply from the middle stump, hitting the top of the off-stump with a peach of delivery.
At the stroke of tea, Washington once again delighted himself and the Indian team as he got a length ball to grip and turn sharply into Blundell, who attempted a flick but was castled through the gate.
Post-tea, Washington wanted an appeal after rapping Daryl Mitchell on the pads with a sharp turning delivery, which proved to be a good call as the replays showed the ball clipping the leg-stump. Mitchell Santner tried to raise the ante with some boundary hits, but Washington continued to cramp New Zealand.
Glenn Phillips holed out to long-off off him, while Tim Southee and Ajaz Patel were both bowled by the young all-rounder. The New Zealand innings was concluded in style by Washington as he rattled Santner's off-stump with grip and turn, as the visitors lost their last seven wickets for just 62 runs.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 259 in 79.1 overs (Devon Conway 76, Rachin Ravindra 66; Washington Sundar 7-59, Ravichandran Ashwin 3-64) vs India.
Read also| New Zealand Chooses to Bat First Against India, 2nd Test
Read also| Brett Lee Recommends Taking Mayank Yadav to Australia If Shami is Unavailable
