(This entry was originally published on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009)
Three-match test series between India and New Zealand started today with the first test being kicked off at Hamilton. At the end of the first day of the first test, visiting India seems to be in driving seat after dismissing New Zealand for 279 in the first innings and reaching 29 without losing any wicket in their first innings.
Winning the toss, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni elected to bowl first which Indian pacers justified later on. New Zealand openers reached 17 without facing any big problem, but the Kiwis lost 6 wickets for just 43 runs, leaving their score 60 for 6. Zaheer Khan brought the breakthrough for India when he dismissed Martin Guptill for 14 and he followed it up in the next over, claiming the wicket of Flynn. New Zealand was put under pressure when Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel also joined in picking up wickets. After losing 6 wicket pretty early, Jesse Ryder and Captain Daniel Vettori shared a 186-run partnership for the seventh wicket which pushed New Zealand towards a somewhat modest total in the first innings. Ryder scored his maiden test hundred, playing an excellent innings of 102 before being the fourth victim of Ishant Sharma, while Vettori scored 118, his third test century, hitting 14 boundaries and 2 over-boundaries.
Ishant Sharma took 4 wickets, while Munaf Patel and Zaheer Khan picked up 3 and 2 wickets respectively. Harbhajan Singh picked up another wicket. Indian openers were replying very well till the stumps of the day as Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag remained undefeated on 6 and 22 respectively with India reaching 29 runs.
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