India vs New Zealand, Day 1: As it happened...

Live updates of the first day of the first Test between India and New Zealand.

Zeenews Sports Bureau

Hyderabad: At the end of Day 1, India were 307/5 with centurion Cheteshwar Pujara (119*) and MS Dhoni (29) still on crease. Match Report» I Full Scorecard » I Pic Gallery » AS IT HAPPENED Over 85 I Score: 299/5 At the end of Day 1, India were 307/5 with centurion Cheteshwar Pujara (119*) and MS Dhoni (29) still on crease. New Zealand would have hoped for at least two more wickets but they were sloppy in the field. However, for India it was a positive start to a post-Laxman and Dravid era as Pujara slammed a maiden Test ton after being included in the Indian team for the first home series of 2012. Pujara survived another close shout; the only difference was that this time it was for caught behind. The fielders and the bowler Chris Martin seemed utterly disappointed as umpire Gould again turned down their appeal. That could have been a big wicket for the Kiwis to end the opening day on a high. Over 80 I Score: 287/5 Not much action here in these five overs. Just a loud appeal from Jeetan Patel for lbw as Pujara looked to defend one. Umpire Ian Gould turned it down. It looked a close call though. NZ have taken the new ball. Over 75 I Score: 272/5 Jeetan Patel had to wait till he bowled his 21st over for a wicket as he sent one down to the leg and Raina tired working it fine but got a fine edge as keeper van Wyk took a smart catch to end his innings at 3. His departure saw Indian captain MS Dhoni taking guard in the middle and he spanked the seventh delivery he faced for a six over wide long-on. Over 70 I Score: 257/4 Cheteshwar Pujara made his ‘second debut’ count as he slammed a maiden Test century in 168 delvieries showing the faith that the selectors have shown him as a likely successor to Rahul Dravid isn’t misplaced. Earlier, Virat Kohli was caught by Guptill at slips after the Indian attempted to play one away from his body despite no room available for the shot. Martin got a delivery to bounce a bit more than usual and Kohli, short of room, attempted a cut that went to the slips where Guptil accepted a simple catch. He departed after scoring 58. His wicket must have brought some relief to Taylor. The stand between Pujara and Kohli was worth 125 runs. Over 65 I Score: 243/3 Virat Kohli was dropped by Kiwi skipper Ross Taylor whose misjudgement cost his team a sure wicket. Kohli went for a cut that produced an outside edge and it went past the keeper and the skipper for a boundary. Kohli, though, reached his fifty with that shot. Both of the batsmen now look set and are scoring at a brisk pace with Pujara taking the lead as he smashed Williamson for a biggie over long on in his second over. The spinners are making no impact. The visitors are seriously missing the services of their ace bowler Daniel Vettori. Third session: Over 60 I Score: 219/3 Flynn dropped Pujara on 60 as the batsman played one straight to the short leg but the fielder there couldn’t hold on to it. It was a difficult chance though. Pujara made them pay for it by smashing three boundaries in an over of Boult. The two have been hardly troubled as they have kept on finding the boundaries every alternate over. TEA BREAK: Over 54 I Score: 182/3 Cheteshwar Pujara kept everyone waiting for a while to reach his second Test fifty as he carved a short delivery from Martin for a boundary. Virat Kohli is batting alongside on 30 (60b, 4X4). The partnership between the two is now 57 runs. Over 50 I Score: 169/3 Pujara is on 49 and nearing his second Test fifty. Jeetan patel, the lone spinner in NZ playing XI has been ineffective so far. The commentators are suggesting that Taylor should have gone with an all pace attack as the Indians are having absolutely no trouble in facing Patel while their pacers have had some impact in the match so far. Over 45 I Score: 157/3 This has been Pujara’s first Test since his last one that came against South Africa in February 2011 and the 24-year-old has made his intentions clear that he wants to make this count and has displayed calmness in his innings of 43*. Over 40 I Score: 136/3 So now it’s up to the youngsters to steer the innings ahead. With Sachin getting out early, and in the absence of Laxman and Dravid this is a brilliant opportunity for the likes of Pujara, Kohli and Raina to perform and cement their places in the Test squad. Over 35 I Score: 125/3 Boult brings the Master to his knees! Sachin Tendulkar was bowled off a superb delivery from 23-year-old Trent Boult. It was pitched on the middle and sneaked past between Tendulkar’s pad and bat keeping low to crash on the middle stump. He departed after scoring 19 (62b, 2X4). FYI this is the 49th occasion when Tendulkar has been bowled in Tests. Virat Kohli is the new man in the middle. Second Session: Over 30 I Score: 111/2 Pujara brought the 100 runs for India with a smashing boundary towards deep backward region soon after the lunch break was over. He has looked confident and didn’t shy away from playing the pull shot when Martin dropped one shot. Both the batsmen in the middle have been watchful as the Kiwi bowlers have got the ball to swing at times. The conditions are suited for batting and Sehwag and Gambhir should be disappointed at playing rash strokes on this wicket. AT LUNCH Over 25 I Score: 97/2 It’s lunch and after the end of first session, India have lost their openers after the duo of Gambhir and Sehwag had given them a brisk start with the latter being the aggressive of the two. The Kiwis struck back in time as they removed Gambhir who edged one from Boult to keeper wan Wyk after poking a delivery that was pitched outside off. Sehwag continued with his innings hitting Bracewell for two boundaries—the first via upper cut while the next came off a missed chance as Ross Taylor’s late reaction at first slip gave him another life during the 13th over. Bracewell, though, got rid of him in his very next over as Sehwag was caught at slips by Martin Guptill. He scored 47 (41, 9X4). It has been an evenly balanced first session of the first Test and the good thing for the Black Caps is that they have gotten rid of the dangerous Sehwag. Over 20 I Score: 89/2 Tendulkar (5*) and Pujara (11*) are keeping things quiet. Over 15 I Score: 77/2 Upper cut, outside edge, inside edge, missed chance and Sehwag. Sounds familiar? The dashing batsman was in his groove and quickly moved to 47. He was handed a chance in the 13th over as Taylor reacted too late at the slips when Sehwag edged one from Bracewell. However, Bracewell had the last laugh as Sehwag was caught at slips by Martin Guptill in his next over after scoring 47 (41b, 9X4). In comes Sachin Tendulkar at No. 4 Over 10 I Score: 49/1 Trent Boult got the first wicket of the Test in Gautam Gambhir when the lefty edged one to the keeper. He went after scoring 22. The opening pair was looking good after a steady start but Gambhir couldn’t avoid the temptation to poke at a delivery that was pitched outside off from Boult. As a result, he edged it to van Wyk and took a long walk back to the pavilion. Cheteshwar Pujara walks in at the crucial No. 3 spot. Over 5 I Score: 15/0 India were off to a positive start as Gambhir eased the first ball of the match from Martin down to fine leg for a boundary. There was a chance created in the fourth over for the visitors as Gambhir went for a drive off Trent Boult that produced an outside edge as the ball went between the gully and third slip for a boundary. Over 1: Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir will open the innings for India. Right arm medium fast New Zealand bowler Chris Martin will bowl the first over of the day. There was some problem with the sightscreen but it has been sorted out. TOSS: Indian captain MS Dhoni has won the toss and elected to bat first. Ajinkya Rahane, Piyush Chawla, S Badrinath and Ishant Sharma are sitting out. Cheteshwar Pujara and Suresh Raina are in. Teams: India: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Pragyan Ojha, Umesh Yadav New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor(c), Kane Williamson, James Franklin, Kruger van Wyk(w), Doug Bracewell, Jeetan Patel, Trent Boult, Chris Martin