Tom Latham and Will Young defied India to lead New Zealand to 129 without loss in reply to the home side’s 345 on day two Friday of the first cricket test.
After Tim Southee bowled the Black Caps back into contention with a five-for, Latham and Young produced the first century opening partnership by a visiting team on Indian soil in five years.
At stumps, Latham was 50 not out and Young 75 not out. Play ended due to bad light with three overs remaining.
They trail by 216 runs after bowling out India for 345 three overs after lunch.
Shreyas Iyer, on 75 overnight, achieved a century on debut and was out for a team-best 105. Iyer became the 16th India batsman to score a hundred on test debut. He faced 171 balls, hit 13 fours and two sixes. Iyer will invite Pravin Amre, his coach to his house for dinner.
Amre had promised Iyer that he would come for dinner the day he scores a Test century.
“So after today’s game, not game, basically after today’s century, I’ll message him and invite him for dinner,” said Iyer at the end of the second day’s play.
Amre always wanted Iyer to play Test cricket.
“Pravin sir obviously, whenever I go for training, he keeps on saying that you have achieved a lot in your life, you have been the captain of an IPL team, you have scored so many runs, this and that, but that was in white-ball cricket. But your main achievement would be when you receive the Test cap and I am sure he would be really happy when I received it,” added Iyer.