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India dominate proceedings on Day Two
Ajinkya Rahane scored his maiden hundred (118) as India dominated Day Two of the second and final Test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Saturday.
The visitors made a formidable 438 to take a first innings lead of 246 runs on their opponents.
The home team were 24 for one in their second innings at stumps on the second day.
Hamish Rutherford (18 not out) and Kane Williamson (four not out) were batting when the stumps were drawn. Peter Fulton (1) was lone wicket to fall, trapped leg before by Zaheer Khan.
New Zealand still trail by 222 runs with nine second innings wickets in their hands.
Ishant made 26 with the bat
Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma started the day on 71 and three respectively at the overnight score of 100-2, looking to soften up the ball which was still relatively new with only 28 overs old. This was the role for the latter especially, who now did not have to protect the incoming batsmen.
Ishant continued to face a hostile barrage from the Kiwi bowlers who faltered in not bowling full to him, and trying to bounce him out.
This allowed Ishant to open up a bit as he spent more time at the wicket. He struck three valiant fours and scored 26 runs (off 50 balls) putting on 52 runs with Dhawan for the third wicket.
They reached this mark off only 73 balls, in the 37th over of the innings. But it came to an end that very same over, with Ishant edging Boult behind and was caught by keeper BJ Watling, it being his 50th Test catch.
Dhawan fell two short of a hundred
Dhawan missed a second consecutive hundred by two runs.
He scored 98 runs off 127 balls at the Basin Reserve, with 14 fours and a six, following his hundred in the first Test in Auckland. Dhawan had started watchfully but soon after started stroking fluently.
However, there was heartbreak in store as he went for a drive against a length delivery bowled by Tim Southee and was caught behind.
Kohli suffered a momentary lapse of concentration
Virat Kohli (38 off 93 balls) batted with confidence and looked to attack.
He combined well with Rahane and the duo put together 63 runs for the sixth wicket.
However, just when things looked good for Kohli, he suffered a momentary lapse of concentration.
Against the run of play, Neil Wagner got Kohli driving and caught at short cover, much to the dismay of the batsman.
Rahane played a gutsy innings
Rahane brought up his half-century (off 93 balls, with seven fours) and his 50-run partnership with Dhoni for the seventh wicket in the 78th over.
The new ball was taken in the 81st over, immediately after it became due, but the two set batsmen continued to deny New Zealand, bringing up the 300 for India at the stroke of tea.
In the final session the duo took the attack to the opposition, thereby turning match in India's favour.
Dhoni, Rahane took the game away from New Zealand
Rahane, playing in his fifth Test, struck a classy 118 which he made from 158 deliveries with the help of 17 fours and a six.
The 25-year-old Mumbai batsman bettered his previous highest score of 96, made in Durban against South Africa in December last.
He put on a 120-run seventh wicket stand with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (68 off 86 balls) as India pressed their advantage in the post-tea session with some aggressive batting.
Dhoni registered his 29th Test fifty in the process. It was this partnership that bolstered India's prospects considerably.