At the end of the first day, Mayank hit 120 off 246 balls with 14 fours and four sixes while Saha hit 25 off 53 balls with three fours and a six. The duo have combined for 61 runs for the fifth wicket so far. Kiwis spinner Ajaz Patel took all four wickets in the Indian innings.
The match started late on the first day after the outfield got wet due to rain. Only 70 overs were bowled on the first day.
Openers Shubhman Gill and Mayank Agarwal gave India a good start after winning the toss and choosing to bat first at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the venue for an international Test match five years later. The duo added 80 runs for the opening wicket. Ajax Patel smashed an unbeaten 44 off 71 balls, including a six and seven fours.
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India got off to a good start but then stumbled. Kiwis spinner Ajaz Patel shocked India by taking two wickets in a row. In one over, Ajaz returned India’s loyal batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Virat Kohli. Cheteshwar Pujara (0) was bowled in the second ball of the 30th over by skipper Virat Kohli (0) in the sixth ball. Kohli reviewed the LBW appeal against him but could not overturn the umpire’s decision.
Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer, the hero of the first Test, saved India from losing the third wicket in a row. The duo added 80 runs for the fourth wicket. Ajax, however, dismissed Iyer for 18 off 41 balls.
Then Mayank teamed up with Saha for the fifth wicket to lead India without further loss.
Earlier, India came into the match with three changes. When Virat Kohli returned, Ajinkya Rahane was out. Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja were replaced by Mohammad Siraj and Jayant Yadav. Daryl Mitchell, on the other hand, replaced New Zealand captain Kane Williamson in the Kiwis squad. In the absence of Williamson, Tom Latham will lead the Kiwis.
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