India were yesterday off to a steady start before losing both their openers, leaving them on 69-2 at lunch in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) against New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl.
Put in to bat under an overcast sky, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 62 runs, but New Zealand eventually dismissed both to leave the session evenly balanced.
India captain Virat Kohli was batting on six at the break, with Cheteshwar Pujara yet to open his account.
Photo: AP
After persistent rain washed out the entire opening day’s play on Friday, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson unsurprisingly elected to field after winning the toss in overcast conditions.
Rohit and Gill looked prepared for the challenge, both standing outside the crease to negate the moving ball.
Gill was slow to get off the blocks, but he grew in confidence after pulling Trent Boult for a four.
The 21-year-old was hit on his helmet grille by a rising delivery from Kyle Jamieson, who returned to break the flourishing opening stand with a delivery that swung late.
Rohit, having made a fluent 34, left his bat hanging and Tim Southee dived to his right to pouch the outside edge at third slip.
Neil Wagner was introduced late in the session and the left-arm quick struck in his first over, dismissing Gill caught behind for 28.
Both teams stuck to their strength, with India picking both their spinners — Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja — and New Zealand opting for an all-seam attack.
Organizers have allocated a reserve day to make up for lost time.
The one-off match marks the culmination of a two-year cycle of the inaugural WTC, launched in 2019 to create a pinnacle event for Test cricket.
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