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PHOTOS: Ishant's six that slayed the Kiwis
A green pitch welcomed the Indians at the Basin Reserve in Wellington after Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to field in the second Test against New Zealand, on Friday.
Immediately, Ishant Sharma justified his captain’s decision to bowl first.
Using the seaming conditions to the maximum, the lanky pacer followed up on his nine-wicket haul in the first Test at Auckland to end the opening day with figures of 6 for 51, as New Zealand were shot out for 192 in their first innings.
Introduced into the attack as early as the eighth over, Ishant, who took 6-134 in the hosts’ first innings of 503 and then 3-28 in their second innings of 105 in the first Test at Eden Park, struck in his in his second over, dismissing Hamish Rutherford (12).
The opener was unable to keep a well-aimed short ball down and caught by Murali Vijay at first slip.
New Zealand 23-1 after 9.3 overs.
PHOTOS: Ishant's six that slayed the Kiwis
Two overs later, Ishant sent down an in-swinger that rapped Peter Fulton (13), the other opener, on his pads.
The batsman was adjudged leg before and the home side was 26-2 after 11.2 overs.
With his next delivery, the bowler had debutant Tom Latham for a duck, Dhoni taking an easy catch behind the stumps. The batsman survived just eight deliveries.
New Zealand were 26 for 3 after 13.4 overs and Ishant's spell read 3.4-2-1-3.
PHOTOS: Ishant's six that slayed the Kiwis
Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson resumed New Zealand’s innings at 51 for 4 after lunch and set out to repair the damage.
The latter hit three fours and a six, but was snapped up by Ishant in the 34th over of the innings.
Anderson scored 24 runs before an inside edge ballooned off his pad and went straight to Virat Kohli at gully, giving Ishant his fourth wicket. New Zealand 84 for 5 after 33.4 overs.
PHOTOS: Ishant's six that slayed the Kiwis
It did not take long for Ishant to get his fifth wicket. He dismissed BJ Watling for a duck, having the batsman caught in the slips by
Rohit Sharma.
New Zealand were reduced to 86 for 6 after 35.2 overs.
Ishant should have had a sixth wicket in the same over, but Kane Williamson was caught off a no-ball.
PHOTOS: Ishant's six that slayed the Kiwis
New Zealand started the post-tea session on 166 for 8. Tim Southee threw his bat around in search of quick runs and hit three sixes, as he raced to run-a-ball 32.
He became Ishant’s sixth victim in the 52nd over, offering a soft catch to Murali Vijay at mid-wicket.
PHOTOS: Ishant's six that slayed the Kiwis
By then, New Zealand were 184 for 9 after 51.3 overs.
By the end of New Zealand’s innings, the 25-year-old bowler, who made his debut as an 18-year-old against Bangladesh in 2007, had career-best figures of 6-51, improving on his previous best of 6-55 against the West Indies in 2011.
It was also the best return for an Indian who had not opened the bowling.