WTC final: Play abandoned on Day 2; Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane solid

Virat Kohli‘s (44*) effort in challenging conditions helped India reach 120/3 at tea on Day two of the World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand on Saturday. However, bad light brought an interesting day’s play to an abrupt halt, with the Indian captain approaching his Test half-fifty. At Stumps, Day 2, India were 146/3.

India, who had reached 69/2 at lunch, was only able to add 51 runs in the afternoon with the loss of Cheteshwar Pujara (8 off 54). Kohli had the company of his deputy Ajinkya Rahane when early tea was taken due to bad light.

Compared to the morning session, New Zealand’s all-pace attack showed much more discipline to not allow the batsmen any easy runs.

Earlier, Indian openers Rohit Sharma (34) and Shubman Gill (28) gave India a solid start in the opening session of Day 2. Both the Indian openers were playing with a strike rate of over 50.

Both players looked in good touch and were en route to give India a solid platform but the opposition bowlers had other ideas in mind. While Kylie Jamieson got rid of the dangerous Hitman, Neil Wagner sent back the young Gill to the pavilion.

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Rohit Sharma was done in with a steep bounce by Jamieson. A moment of hesitation saw Rohit prod with a half-cooked defence as the ball took the outside edge of his bat and towards Tim Southee at the slip cordon.

Gill, on the other hand, was done in by an away-going delivery. A little misjudgement on his path saw the Indian right-handed gift his wicket away.

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However, India cautiously picked on the bad balls, pouncing on the boundary ball, and even induced a howler of a review from Williamson (of all people).

With the openers back in the dugout, the onus is now on Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara to take forward the Indian innings.

Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had won the toss and invited the Indian side to bat.

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The two teams have faced each other in 59 Tests, with India bagging 21 wins and the Kiwis emerging victorious on 12 occasions. Twenty-six games have resulted in draws. 

India XI: Virat Kohli (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

New Zealand XI: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson(c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling(w), Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult