Kanpur, Nov 28 (UNI) Shreyas Iyer's hundred in the first innings with an all-important fifty in the second innings of his debut Test helped India gain a sizeable lead of 216 against New Zealand.
India were 167 for 7 at tea with Wriddhiman Saha batting on 22 and Iyer getting out at 65 runs. He became the only Indian batsman to score a century and half century in each innings of a debut Test.
India got a significant lead. For New Zealand, however, Iyer's wicket would have lifted their spirits, because they were moving around with dropped shoulders as Saha and Iyer's partnership was flourishing.
New Zealand's problem has been their spinners, who have been ineffective and their attack has just been about pacers Tim Southee and Kayle Jamieson.
Captain Kane Williamson would be missing Neil Wagner to have put India on the backfoot after they were struggling at 103 for 6 when Ravichandran Ashwin was dismissed.
Iyer and Ashwin played with purpose and discipline to negate the early threat of Tim Southee after they held the fort in the morning session. Just when they looked ominous, Kyle Jamieson forced Ashwin to inside edge one onto the stumps, leaving India ahead of the Black Caps by 152 runs with four wickets in hand.
Wriddhiman Saha, who is suffering from a stiff neck, joined forces with Iyer to build another crucial partnership. Earlier, Southee and Jamieson helped New Zealand to fight back in the morning.
Cheteshwar Pujara began well by spanking a few loose deliveries from Jamieson. However, the tall fast bowler soon found his groove when he exploited his bumper to induce Pujara to glove one behind to Tom Blundell.
Makeshift Captain Ajinkya Rahane, who has been in tremendous pressure due to his poor form, was done in by the arm-ball from Ajaz Patel, putting India in a spot of bother, courtesy Southee's masterclass swing and seam bowling.
In the 20th over, Southee generated appreciable outswing and Mayank Agarwal thick-edged to the slip cordon. He then trapped Ravindra Jadeja plumb in front with a delivery that darted in a bit to trap the all-rounder on his pads. Jadeja went for the review, but that did not go in his favour.
UNI BDN RJ