Desk Report
Published: 29 Nov 2021, 09:29 pm
Photo: Collected
Debutant
Rachin Ravindra worked with New Zealand's lower order to pull off a dramatic
draw against India after they ended day five on 165-9 while chasing 284 in the
first Test on Monday.
New
Zealand faltered after overnight batsman Tom Latham (52) and later skipper Kane
Williamson (24) departed, but still denied India a win after a tense final
session in Kanpur, reports BSS.
Left-handed
Ravindra, a Wellington-born all-rounder of Indian origin who made 18, put on
key partnerships including an eighth-wicket stand of 46 deliveries with Kyle
Jamieson.
He
then held fort for 52 balls with Ajaz Patel before the umpires ended play due
to bad light.
Ravindra
Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin shared seven wickets between them to hurt New
Zealand in their chase but the 22-year-old Ravindra, who went wicketless with
his left-arm spin, made the match that ebbed and flowed his own.
"It
has been touch and go around this time throughout the game," said Williamson,
who led New Zealand to the inaugural world Test championship title in June
after beating India in the final.
"Terrific
game overall. All three results were still at play. We showed a lot of heart to
bat through the day. Some fantastic experiences for Rachin, Ajaz and (William)
Somerville."
The
Kiwis slipped to 138-7 in the 79th over when Ravindra brought back the fight,
with Jamieson for company.
The
left-handed Latham and nightwatchman Somerville denied India a wicket in the
first session as the two put on 76 runs for the second wicket.
Somerville,
who joined Latham after Will Young fell to Ashwin in the final session on
Sunday, scored 36 off 110 balls but departed soon after lunch off fast bowler
Umesh Yadav.
Latham,
who made 95 in New Zealand's first innings total of 296, moved from his
overnight two to another half-century but fell to Ashwin's off spin.
The
wicket took Ashwin past veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh's tally of 417
wickets. Former spinner Anil Kumble leads the Indian wicket-takers list with
619, followed by Kapil Dev with 434.
Jadeja
struck at the stroke of tea to send back Ross Taylor for two and got
Williamson's prized scalp for 24.
Debutant
Shreyas Iyer stood out for India with his 105 and 65 in India's 345 and 237-4
declared.
Iyer
was named man of the match for his batting heroics after India won the toss and
elected to bat first on a pitch that stayed low and slow but held on for five
days.
"I
am really happy for Shreyas. He had to wait a long time for his Test debut. He
batted really well," said Rahane.
"The
way he works, his record in first class cricket is really good."