Indian players Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja helped India finish day one against New Zealand with a score of 258/4.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane chose to bat first after winning the toss. Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson swung the new ball as openers Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill were nervous. Throughout the match, Mayank lost to Jamieson as he edged the ball to the keeper.
Having lost Mayank on 13 runs in the eighth over, the Kiwis kept Jamieson and Southee from one end, while introducing Ajaz Patel from the other end to challenge the stumps of both Gill and the new batter Cheteshwar Pujara.
Patel, however, continued to deliver a loose ball per over, which Gill picked up and kept the scoreboard running. Gill played on his backfoot to cut and drove his way to 81-ball-52 runs.
On 52 runs, Jamieson removed half-centurion Shubman Gill in Jamieson's first over after lunch.
Ajinkya Rahane started well, hitting some backfoot punches through the covers to keep the scoreboard ticking. As Tim Southee found his outside edge, Cheteshwar Pujara could not give Rahane much support. Pujara fell for 26 runs off 88 balls.
Shreyas Iyer came in at number five and looked nervous at first. With a flick shot, he settled his nerves. Rahane, on the other hand, looked good for 35 from 63 balls, but he was bowled off Jamieson trying to cut the ball.
Jadeja came in when India was in trouble after losing both their captain and a debutant. Particularly against Southee and Jamieson, who sought reverse swing, the duo chose their shots well and defended well.
Iyer reached his first test half-century in 94 balls, while Jadeja reached another half-century in 99 balls. The duo played throughout the third session and didn't give the Kiwi bowlers many chances. Iyer (75*) and Jadeja (50*) have added 113 runs for the fifth wicket.
With a second new ball coming in the morning session of day 2, New Zealand will rely on Jamieson and Southee to limit India's scoring to a low total.