The big news: India dismiss Kiwi challenge

India took a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series against New Zealand after posting an emphatic 197-run victory in the first match in Kanpur on Monday. Chasing 434 to win, New Zealand were bowled out for 236 in the second innings. Ravichandran Ashwin finished with figures of 6/132 and match-figures of 10/225.

Luke Ronchi and Mitchell Santner stitched together a 102-run partnership in the first session of day five to put up some resistance in pursuit of a world-record target of 434. However, Ronchi fell to Ravindra Jadeja for 80, after which it was curtains for New Zealand.

Mohammed Shami bagged two quick wickets with some reverse swing to leave India in need of three wickets for a win. Ashwin continued his amazing run and registered his fifth 10-wicket haul after he took the wickets of Santner, Ish Sodhi and in the end he took the last wicket of Neil Wagner to ensure victory. India next face New Zealand in Kolkata on September 30.

Other top stories

  1. Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq remains hopeful of India-Pakistan bilateral cricket resuming despite the Board of Control for Cricket in India ruling out the possibility in the near future in the wake of the terror attack on an army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, earlier this month. Misbah-ul-Haq told Reuters, "If India can play against Pakistan in ICC events then why not in bilateral series? Pakistan is always ready to play against India, but what can we do if they do not want to play."
  2. BCCI chief Anurag Thakur has ruled out pink-ball Tests for the rest of the Indian home season. "It is too early to say anything. As far as trying it in Duleep Trophy under lights is concerned, it was a big success. But you need to look at overall picture before you take the final call. As of now, we are not ready to implement pink ball this season," Thakur was quoted as saying by PTI.
  3. Off-spinner Jeetan Patel was called in by New Zealand to replace Mark Craig, who has been ruled out of the remaining two Tests against India with a side strain. Craig injured his left side while bowling in the second innings of the first Test in Kanpur. Patel last played for the Test side in 2013 and has played a crucial role for Warwickshire in the English county championship.
  4. India’s Test captain Virat Kohli said that he was involved in a discussion with Cheteshwar Pujara over his strike rate in Test cricket during the recent tour of the West Indies. "Pujara is someone who absorbs the pressure really well but after a certain stage in the innings there comes a time when the team needs runs," Kohli said at the end of the Kanpur Test. "That's where we felt that he has the ability to capitalise. It was just about conveying that to him. He has worked hard on his game. He scored at a good strike rate in the Duleep Trophy. Even on this wicket he was scoring at 65, almost 70 strike rate.”
  5. The Lodha committee is not going to give in easily as is set to take a tough stance against BCCI's defiance of its recommendations. The committee is set to file a report with the Supreme Court, highlighting the inhibitions in the implementation of its proposed reforms. The Lodha panel held an internal meeting to discuss the violations, especially the election of a secretary and the appointment of a five-member selection committee by the BCCI at its Annual General Meeting on September 21, when the committee said it cannot.
  6. The only new face in the West Indies Test squad against Pakistan would be the of left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican. The 24-year-old was the only addition to the 14 players who constituted the squad for the series against India in August.
  7. After failing to get past the South African challenge, Ireland face the might Australians in the only One-Day International in Benoni on Tuesday. The Irish will hope to better their performance after the 206-run defeat against the Proteas.