Kolkata: After Wriddhiman Saha’s gritty half-century guided India to 316, Bhuvneshwar Kumar rattled the New Zealand innings with a five-wicket haul on day two of the second Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday. Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with a wicket each as Kiwis found themselves in deep hole with the score of 128/7.
Pacers Shami and Bhuvneshwar dismissed Kiwi openers Tom Latham and Martin Guptill in quick succession before teams headed for lunch. India wasted no time to add another blow after Bhuvneshwar sent Henry Nicholls packing.
Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi though joined hands as the pair put up a 62-run partnership. While they were tested by spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra, the New Zealand pair managed to hold their nerve.
However, right before rain interruption, Jadeja broke the partnership when he got Ronchi out LBW.
Play resumed under lights after more than two hours of interruption and India wasted no time to wrestle home advantage as Bhuvneshwar scalped three wickets in his three-over spell in the final session of play.
First, he sent Ross Taylor packing after the Kiwi stand-in skipper edged one to Murali Vijay in the first slip. Then, in his final over of the day, he trapped Mitchell Santner before the wickets and then broke through the defence of Matt Henry to disturb the timber.
Earlier, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Saha made sure India’s lower order add some crucial runs to team’s overnight score of 239/9. The local boy remained unbeaten on 54 as India eventually ended their innings on 316.
