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1st Test, Day 4, PHOTOS: NZ beat India by 40 runs, take 1-0 series lead
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (39) and Ravindra Jadeja (26) lodged a late counter-attack but it wasn’t enough as India lost the 1st Test against New Zealand by 40 runs at EdenPark in Auckland on Sunday.
Wagner emerged the best bowler for the Kiwis, claiming four wickets in both innings for a match haul of eight wickets for 126 runs.
India's poor record away from home continues. They have lost 10 and drawn one out in their last 11 matches played away from home.
Dhoni and Jadeja's counter-attack proved futile
The first ball after tea, Tim Southee forced Rohit to play and he edged it behind to ‘keeper Watling after scoring 19.
Jadeja and Dhoni then went on the attack and hit a few big shots to give India a glimmer of a chance. Jadeja blasted 26 from 21 balls, putting on 54 runs from 34 balls for the seventh wicket.
He was dismissed by Boult after being caught by Ish Sodhi at mid-on.
Dhoni and Zaheer Khan (17) played out a few overs sensibly until Wagner and Boult struck to take the last three wickets inside three overs.
Dhawan, Kohli put on 128 runs for the 3rd wicket
Earlier, Kohli (67) and Dhawan (115) put on 128 runs for the third wicket but Wagner's double strike turned things around as India lost their way.
Wagner struck with two wickets after lunch to drag New Zealand back into the first Test as the visitors advanced to 270 for five at tea on the fourth day, needing a further 137 runs to complete a remarkable victory.
Wagner dismissed the dangerous Virat Kohli for 67 to break a 128-run partnership with Shikhar Dhawan, then had the opening batsman caught behind for 115 to give the hosts hope they could still win the match at Eden Park.
Dhawan, Kohli put on 128 runs for the 3rd wicket
Trent Boult then dismissed Ajinkya Rahane before tea with the first delivery of the second new ball when he trapped the batsman lbw for 18, though television replays showed Rahane had got an inside edge before the ball hit his pads.
Rohit Sharma (19) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (two) were together at the break with the match still slightly in India's favour though they will face a one-over old ball on a deteriorating seamer-friendly pitch when they return.
Dhawan, Kohli put on 128 runs for the 3rd wicket
Prior to Wagner's exploits, India had looked like they could achieve victory by the end of the day's play on Sunday.
India's innings has been built around Dhawan, who had struggled for form before the EdenPark clash and was dismissed for a three-ball duck in the first innings.
Resuming on 49, he almost ran himself out when going for a quick single to reach his half century then saw off Tim Southee in the first hour and began to accumulate by putting away bad balls and leaving ones he did not need to play.
Dhawan, Kohli put on 128 runs for the 3rd wicket
He resumed after lunch on 81 and wasted little time in the 90s, bashing a six to move to 99 and prematurely celebrate his century before Kohli directed his attention to the scoreboard.
Dhawan, however, was able to celebrate properly on the next ball when he cut legspinner Ish Sodhi to the cover-point fence for his 11th boundary.
Kohli had begun to look ominous after lunch before Wagner produced the first of his wickets when the right hander got an inside edge to a delivery and wicketkeeper BJ Watling took a good low catch to leave the visitors on 222-3.
Dhawan, Kohli put on 128 runs for the 3rd wicket
Wagner’s second wicket of the session came about 25 minutes before tea when Dhawan fended off a bouncer and got an edge through to Watling.
Tim Southee had snapped up the valuable wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara for 23 in the morning session when he nicked a seaming delivery through to Watling.
The second Test in the series begins at Wellington's Basin Reserve on Feb. 14.