Matt Henry condemns India to lowest test score on home soil as the hosts crumble under overcast conditions.
Matt Henry takes 5 wickets as India fall out on 46, their lowest test total in home conditions.
Into the second session, New Zealand maintained their momentum of getting wickets. They eliminated the final four wickets for an extra twelve runs, reducing India’s Test score to its third-lowest level ever.
After lunch, Matt Henry, who was their best bowler, took R Ashwin by surprise by taking his wicket with the first delivery. After an over, he was facing Rishabh Pant for a hat-trick ball. Pant returned the blow, but the ball found him on a half-volley. He had Pant nicking to second slip after two balls. This was a ball after Pant had turned down a simple single to protect Kuldeep Yadav. It was the ideal length, both on the middle and leg, and with just the right amount of seam movement.
Still, Henry was not finished. After some struggle, Jasprit Bumrah did not want to stay around. So he made a full-speed sprint to his left from fine leg to give Will O’Rourke his fourth wicket. Michael Bracewell, the substitute, dived to his left at gully to give Henry Kuldeep’s wicket. That ensured Henry completing his five-for and 100 Test wickets. Henry would be grateful for that.
The wait was absolutely worth it. Finally taking to the pitch on day two in Bengaluru, New Zealand lost a fine toss on their seventh day of Test cricket in India this year. India was reduced to 34 for 6 in a stop-start first session by New Zealand’s seam bowlers. They were all over them with deadly accurate bowling after they were denied their wish to play first under murky skies and on a surface that had stayed covered all week.