By: Tarish Bhatt
Murali Vijay was India’s standout performer in the opening day of the 1st Test. He made a gritty fifty, alongwith Cheteshwar Pujara. But, that’s wasn’t enough for India to take a strong lead at the Green Park Stadium.
Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner picked three wickets each. New Zealand’s bowling wasn’t upto the mark, but was effective enough to give them a slight edge when the stumps were called in the opening day in Kanpur.
“Definitely disappointed, batted well, I thought after tea was my session to cash in. Got to take it in my stride and we better in the second innings,” Vijay said.
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“The wicket was on the slower side, and so wanted to rotate strike, with their safe field as well,” he added. “It wasn’t turning as much. Wicket got slower, and on day two with their footmarks our bowlers can play around a bit.”
India now have just a wicket in hand, with Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav in the middle. The hosts need them to add some more runs to 291 in the morning session. Especially, against the likes of Trent Boult and Neil Wagner.
“It’s a very good score, 20 runs short, but tomorrow morning if Jaddu gets it going, 320-330 would be a very good score. It would get lower moving forward,” Vijay said.
“They have to play a waiting game, if they attack, we will have the upper hand,” he concluded.
