India vs New Zealand | Bhuvi puts India on top before rain interrupts play

Brief Scores: India 316 (Pujara 87, Rahane 77, Saha 54*, Henry 3-46) lead New Zealand 128 for 7 (Taylor 36, Bhunvneshwar 5-33) by 188 runs

Resuming the innings at 239 for 7 from Day 1, Ravindra Jadeja and Wriddhiman Saha looked determined to guide India past the 300-run mark on a pitch which was aiding the pacers. The pair played in contrasting fashion as Jadeja went after some teasing deliveries from the pacers while Saha played the anchor role.

Jadeja-Saha partnership proves vital

After the Kiwi bowlers pegged India back with 3 quick wickets in the last ten overs of the match yesterday, Ravindra Jadeja and Wriddhiman Saha stepped on to the field like they meant business. Early in the day, the duo were careful in assessing the pitch conditions as seaming deliveries from Matt Henry and Trent Boult balls whizzed past their ears.

The run rate picked up after the opening hour with Jadeja going after the seamers. But with the score at 272/7, the Saurashtra all-rounder was unable get on top of a short-pitched ball from Wagner and top-edged it to Matt Henry at long leg. Mitch Santner then trapped Bhuvneshwar Kumar leg before, but last man Mohammed Shami played a good part in helping Saha to get the scoreboard over 300 runs. Shami then tried to pull Trent Boult's bouncer for a boundary, but Matt Henry's spectacular catch at the fence brought the Indian innings to an end at 316.

Bhuvi fires on return

Martin Guptill and Tom Latham had it difficult soon after starting as the pitch clearly showed signs of life. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami testing the openers with swing and bounce, the breakthrough arrived in the second over as local boy Mohammed Shami's seaming delivery trapped Tom Latham leg before. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then clean bowled Martin Guptill to keep New Zealand tottering by lunch.

After bagging 16 of the total 20 New Zealand wickets across two innings in the first Test, spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja came back with the same hunger post lunch after the early striked from the pace department. The duo kept creating chances every over sticking to their line and length and kept Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi guessing. Jadeja removed Ronchi for an LBW as heavy showers interrupted play.

Bhuvneshwar came back once again after the play resumed at 3:55 pm local time, as his angled delivery took a sweet edge off Ross Taylor's bat for an easy catch in the slips by Murali Vijay. Kumar soon removed Mitch Santner and Matt Henry in consecutive balls to complete a fifer on his first match after returning to the side. India could have removed a couple more wickets if not for bad light ending the day early with New Zealand staring down the barrel at 128/7.