What an absorbing day of Test match cricket the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru witnessed in India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 4. India began smashing Kiwi bowlers as overnight batters from Day 3 – Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant – went bonkers in a mammoth 177-run partnership for the fourth wicket. But as the stand was broken, wickets fell like nine pins as India were bowled out for 462, gaining a lead of just 106 runs. Kiwis, in reply, were 0 for 0 in 0.4 overs as bad light and rain stopped the game on Day 4.
India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 4 – India Dominate the First Session with a 113-run Stand Between Sarfaraz and Pant
The India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 4 began with overcast conditions, something Kiwi bowlers would have wanted to put the Men in Blue under pressure. However, Sarfaraz looked comfortable and hit two boundaries in the second over of the day. The first one was his signature uppercut shot and then a steer to the right of the third-man fielder. At the other end, Rishabh Pant opened his account in the third over by guiding it towards backward square leg for a single. Sarfaraz brought up India’s 250, albeit with an edge that went into the gap between the wicketkeeper and first slip fielder for a boundary.
Pant hit his first boundary, albeit with an edge off Matt Henry. The ball beat the NZ skipper Tom Latham standing in the slip cordon on the way to the boundary. Sarfaraz capped off that over with a boundary on the last ball. Pant survived a runout as Tom Blundell could not hit the stumps. It was a huge mix-up between Pant and Sarfaraz. That had, however, no impact on Pant, who true to his audacious demeanour, played a lofted shot over the head of the mid-on fielder to register his second boundary.
Sarfraz Notches Up His Maiden Test Hundred, Pant Smashes a Quickfire Half-century
Soon Sarafraz hit his maiden Test hundred by hitting Southee to a boundary on the off side. The 66th over of India’s second innings saw Pant smashing Ajaz Patel for two sixes before surviving two back-to-back LBW calls. He finished that over with a boundary on the last ball. Sarfaraz brought up the 100-run stand with Pant by hitting Glenn Philips for a boundary at long-off. Pant, on the other hand, registered his half-century by smacking a low full toss from Philips to the extra cover boundary for four a couple of overs later. Just as the partnership looked threatening for Kiwis, the rain came and interrupted the game, resulting in an early lunch on Day 4. India reached 344 for 3, only 12 runs behind New Zealand’s first innings lead of 356. Sarfaraz and Pant remained unbeaten at 125 and 53, respectively, till that point.
India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 4, Second Session
After a 3-hour rain interruption, the match resumed. Rishabh Pant smashed a six off Rachin Ravindra in the first over in the second session. He smashed a four in the next over to signal India’s intention to win the Test match. Indian levelled New Zealand’s total in that over as Rishabh pushed one into the off side for a single. Rishabh went offensive afterward by reverse sweeping Rachin over the slip fielder for a boundary.
Sarfaraz continued to amaze with his typical uppercut as New Zealand bowlers were looking clueless. Pant looked authoritative against spinners as he continued to smash both Philips and Rachin. India raised 400 in the second innings as Sarfaraz worked away to deep square leg for single. Sarfaraz registered his 150 by gliding to the deep point for a single. But soon after that, Southee got rid of Sarfaraz who hit straight to Ajaz Patel at extra cover. He smashed 18 fours and three sixes.
Pant Misses Out on a Ton in India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 4
KL Rahul, who came in after the fall of Sarfaraz Khan, steered one between slip and gully to pick up a boundary. Rishabh Pant smoked one into the roof as the crowd gathered at Bengaluru looked stunned and happy seeing that miraculous shot from the wicketkeeper batter. KL Rahul, in the next over, played a superb on-drive to register his second boundary. Rishabh Pant, however, chopped on to miss out on a well-deserved hundred. William ORourke dismissed Pant for 99. An innings laced with 9 fours and five sixes in India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 4. India’s score at that point was 433 for 5, a lead of 77 runs.
Ravindra Jadeja played an exquisite shot down the ground for a boundary to open his account in the second innings. Trouble for India as KL edged to Blundell off William ORourke on the last ball of the second session. He was out for just 12. India reached 438 for 6 at that stage, gaining a lead of 82 runs with only four wickets left.
New Zealand Wrap Up India’s Second Innings at 462
Ravichandran Ashwin scored the first run for India in the second session with a chip on the mid-wicket. William ORourke scalped Ravindra Jadeja as he hit straight to Will Young at square leg. Jadeja scored just five runs. Ashwin made his intentions clear by scoring runs. He smashed one straight down the ground to register his second boundary of the day. However, Matt Henry removed Ashwin by having him trapped leg before wicket for 15 off 24 balls. The lead was 102 at that stage. Matt Henry then dislodged Jasprit Bumrah by having him caught behind for a duck. He went on to dismiss Siraj and wrapped up India’s innings at 462. Tim Southee took a splendid catch at mid-on to see the back of Siraj. With just a lead of 106 runs, New Zealand had their tail up.
India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 4 – Kiwis Finish with No Runs but All Ten Wickets Left
Kiwis survived 0.4 overs which was possible as light deteriorated with dark clouds gathering at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. It was an eventful over though as Tom Latham survived an LBW shout off Jasprit Bumrah. The ball was pitched outside the leg stump as confirmed by the ball tracking.
