Twitter Reactions: Kyle Jamieson's three-fer leaves India reeling in Wellington

Batting first in New Zealand has never been easy, especially for the visitors, and India got to know it the hard way in Wellington on Day 1 of the first Test. After losing the toss, the Kiwi bowlers dictated the conditions and kept a lid on the run-scoring while also picking wickets at regular intervals. Though rain had the final say in the end with no play happening in the final session, the home side had done enough to finish the day ahead of India.

Prithvi Shaw was preferred ahead of Shubman Gill even as India surprised many by leaving out Ravi Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha ahead of Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant respectively. They got off to a poor start as well losing Shaw in the fifth over of the innings itself. Tim Southee delivered a proper outswinging delivery which pitched on middle and off-stump line to castle the batsman who tried to play the ball to the leg-side without any footwork.

Cheteshwar Pujara then blunted the ball with his defence but got a peach of a delivery from the debutant Kyle Jamieson, Virat Kohli too soon followed him getting out to the same bowler and left India reeling at 40/3 in the first hour of play. The Indian skipper chased a wide delivery and edged it to the first slip where Ross Taylor, playing his 100th Test, grabbed the chance.

India lose two more wickets in the second session

Amidst the fall of wickets at the other end, Mayank Agarwal kept his cool and displayed amazing composure facing the likes of Trent Boult and Southee. He played out the first session defending most of the times and crossed the 30-run mark. He got an able ally in Ajinkya Rahane who looked comfortable from the word go.

The duo did well to keep New Zealand at bay until lunch. But the Kiwis returned with menace in the second session and this time, didn’t give easy runs as well. Agarwal, in the process, top-edged the pull off Boult only for Jamieson to take a catch at long leg. Agarwal got a start and scored 34 runs before giving it away. Hanuma Vihari too couldn’t much and it was Jamieson once again who provided the breakthrough.

At 101/5, India looked down and out midway through the second session. New Zealand continued to keep it tight even then but Rahane stayed put and made sure that he didn’t throw his wicket away. Rishabh Pant somehow has remained unbeaten and looked at ease after spending more time in the middle. Both the batsmen added 21 runs for the sixth wickets in around 14 overs until tea.

New Zealand would’ve hoped to bundle India out in the final session but the rain came down heavily during the break and the play never resumed. The tourists have got some thinking to do now and they will be banking on Rahane and Pant and then Ravi Ashwin to get the team past the 200-run mark at least.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: