On the edge

Christchurch, March 1

India’s top-order frittered away a golden chance with another shoddy batting show as New Zealand regained complete control of the second Test after hostile fast bowling by Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah gave the visitors a slender lead on Day 2 of the second Test.

Shami (4/81 in 23.1 overs) and Bumrah (3/62 in 22 overs) were brilliant in executing their plans, dismissing New Zealand for 235 in 73.1 overs, as they proved again that they are among the world’s top fast bowling pairs.

However, India’s top-order put paid to their efforts, failing miserably once again as New Zealand bounced back, reducing India to 90/6 in their second innings, and a third-day finish is on the cards. India are now effectively 97 runs ahead with only four wickets in hand, and it will take a herculean effort from here on to avert another series whitewash after the ODIs.

Procession

Trent Boult (3/12) got Mayank Agarwal (3) and Cheteshwar Pujara (24) with conventional inswingers that tailed into the right-handers. Prithvi Shaw (14) was out in familiar fashion, fending a short ball off from Tim Southee, while skipper Virat Kohli’s (14) indecisive footwork brought his downfall once again.

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who was earlier hit on the helmet, paid the price for an ugly shot, while Umesh Yadav expectedly didn’t survive a rampaging Boult after he was inexplicably sent in as nightwatchman with nearly 30 minutes of play left.

A target of 250 in the fourth innings could well have been a challenge for the Black Caps as there is still something in the track for the pacemen, despite batsmen getting value for their shots. However, India setting a total of 250 seems an impossibility now.

Kohli’s 38 in 4 innings

India desperately needed Kohli to end his dreadful tour with one big knock, but that was not to be as Colin de Grandhomme trapped him LBW with an off-cutter. Kohli ended up 38 runs in four innings, for an average of 9.50. No wonder Trent Boult was happy having kept Kohli quiet. “Obviously, he is a big player for them and we just tried to put enough pressure on him, keep him quiet and soak up those boundary balls, and it was nice to see him make a few errors,” Boult said.

Shami-Bumrah show

The first two sessions belonged to Shami and Bumrah, who were brilliant with their precision length, sideways movement and an occasional heavy ball that was slipped in between.

Ravindra Jadeja (2/22 in 10 overs) did exactly what was required, and also took a stunning acrobatic one-handed catch in the deep to dismiss Neil Wagner (21).

Bumrah and Shami were relentless in bowling that probing off-stump line which never let any of New Zealand batsmen settle down. — PTI

Virat Horror Show

9.50 is Virat Kohli’s average in the series, his second-worst in any series, home or away. His worst series average is 9.20, which was against Australia at home in 2016-17. He had made 46 runs in 5 innings in that series

13.40 was his previous worst average away from home, in England in 2014. Kohli had made 134 runs in 10 innings in that series, with a top score of 39

‘Don’t blame batsmen’

“In our culture, we don’t look at blaming anyone. Everyone is trying very hard and we know how the sport works. Some days, if as a bowling unit we don’t pick up wickets that doesn’t give the batsmen liberty to take our case, isn’t it?”—Jasprit Bumrah defended the batsmen