October 17, 2024: New Zealand dominated Day 2 of the opening Test against India at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, leaving the hosts reeling after their lowest-ever total on home soil and securing a commanding position with a lead of 134 runs and seven wickets in hand.
India’s batting collapsed dramatically in overcast conditions, managing just 46 runs in their first innings. New Zealand’s pace duo of Matt Henry (5-15) and William O’Rourke (4-22) ran through the Indian lineup, with five Indian batters, including key players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja, dismissed for ducks.
New Zealand responded strongly, led by Devon Conway’s masterful 91 off 105 balls.
Despite losing his wicket to Ravichandran Ashwin, Conway’s innings, along with contributions from Will Young (33) and Rachin Ravindra (22), helped the Kiwis end the day at 180/3. The match was interrupted by bad light, with Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell (14) unbeaten at the crease.
Earlier, New Zealand capitalized on India’s struggles from the start, with Tim Southee dismissing Indian captain Rohit Sharma for 2, setting the tone for the collapse. Conway’s well-timed strokes and New Zealand’s dominance in all aspects of the game left India with a mountain to climb heading into Day 3.
