India will fear the worst when Day 2 comes of the first Test against New Zealand comes calling, after the Kiwis, led by Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum, dominated the opening day in Auckland on Thursday.
Where to Watch Live
The second day of the first Test is scheduled for an 11 am local time (3.30 am IST start) with live coverage on Sony Six in India. The match can also be caught via live streaming online in India HERE. View the action in the UK HERE, while Africa viewers can do the same HERE. US viewers can live stream the match HERE, with the same option available for New Zealand viewers HERE.
Both Williamson and McCullum slammed thoroughly entertaining and authoritative centuries, with New Zealand finishing day one on a formidable 329 for four from 90 overs.
Despite winning the toss and asking New Zealand to bat first on a pitch that did give some help to the bowlers, India failed to capitalise on their advantage, at its highest when the Kiwis were struggling on 30 for three.
Williamson and McCullum batted wonderfully well, knocking the stuffing out of the Indian bowlers, with the New Zealand skipper, batting on 143 at stumps, poised to make a double century.
Corey Anderson is giving McCullum company at the other end, looking menacing on 42, after Williamson (113) fell in the final session, following his sixth straight fifty-plus score against India. Anderson and McCullum have added 78 runs, and, with both batsmen capable of smashing the ball out of the park at will, India's already battered-looking bowlers could be in for an even harder day.
McCullum looked smooth and serene, taking just 210 balls for his unbeaten 143, but the story of course could have been different had India latched onto their catches in the field.
That aspect will be one thing that skipper MS Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher will want to work on - because with the lack of potency of their bowlers, the last thing that India can afford is to drop chances.
For New Zealand, the plan will be pretty simple, score as many runs as possible, as quickly as possible, after assessing the conditions in the first hour of play on Day 2, and put India on the proverbial mat.
The Kiwis will be targeting a score of at least 500, considering the position they are in at the moment, but India, if they can pick up a couple of early wickets in the morning, will be hopeful of restricting the home side to a score below 400 - vital if they are to somehow fight their way back and pull off a positive result.
Teams: New Zealand: Peter Fulton, Hamish Rutherford, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Corey Anderson, BJ Watling, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.
India: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma.
