India Vs New Zealand, 1st Test Day 4 Highlights: Hosts Need To Defend 107 Before Bad Light Stops Play; IND – 46, 462; NZ – 402, 0/0

Stumps has been taken finally and that will not pleased the Indian team. Under lights, with the ball swinging, Rohit felt India could have sneaked in few wickets especially with the new ball. But the umpires had other ideas as covers came on immediately.

Welcome to the live coverage of the fourth day of the India vs New Zealand 1st Test going on at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

New Zealand: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William ORourke

As per AccuWeather, The weather in Bengaluru today will be mostly cloudy, with a temperature ranging between 20°C and 26°C. According to Google, the Humidity is at 91%, and there is a 53% chance of precipitation.

New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra scored his second Test hundred and became the first Kiwi batter since 2012 to score a ton on Indian soil during the 1st India vs New Zealand Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday. Check the stats HERE.

He had plenty to celebrate, but he found something else even more celebratory and relieving.

“It’s pretty hard to crystal-ball gaze into the future. It’s a quality batting line-up on a wicket that’s not doing too much, so it’s important for us to hold our lines and lengths and do that for long periods. But I think Kohli’s wicket at the end was very important,” Ravindra told reporters during the post-day press meet.

“Obviously, he’s a guy who has scored 9,000-plus Test runs, which is pretty mind-blowing, but for us it was a huge wicket. We know things happen quickly in this part of the world, so, hopefully, we can stick at it and get a few wickets in the morning,” he added.

There are cracks. If it hits the front of the crack it keeps low, if it hits the end of the crack kicks up. It does seam off the cracks too. Runs are there to be had but it is definitely not a bad day to be bowling too – Simon Doull and Murali Kartik.

After suffering a knock on his knee, Rishabh Pant has walked out to bat alongside Sarfaraz Khan. Big day ahead for Team India.

IND 46 & 232/3 (50 Overs)

Sarfaraz Khan has scored 13 runs off fours this morning has he looks to cut down the deficit on day 4 of the 1st IND Vs NZ Test in Bengaluru. Rishabh Pant has looked the quieter one but Sarfaraz has whacked few boundaries to build pressure back on the Kiwi bowlers.

IND 46 & 245/3 (52 Overs)

Sarfaraz Khan has moved into the nineties with some slick boundaries especially down to third-man. The Mumbai batter, who has come into this Test on the back of a sensational double-ton in Irani Trophy final, looks composed and has troubled the NZ bowlers with his strokeplay.

IND 46 & 261/3 (54 Overs)

What a player he is turning out to be! Sarfaraz Khan, who was roped in to replace the injured Shubman Gill, has given a headache to the team management and the selectors with a century in the 2nd innings. A knock to remember. Fans in the stands are emotional, jubilant scenes.

IND 46 & 275/3 (57 Overs)

The hosts have dominated proceedings in the morning session with Sarfaraz Khan scoring his maiden international hundred along the way. India now trail by mere 62 runs against the Kiwis and will eye another session especially with the likes of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja still to come.

IND 46 & 294/3 (63 Overs)

Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan have brought up the 100-run partnership for the fourth-wicket as NZ still search for a wicket in Bengaluru. The duo have been on the attack right from the word ‘go’ this morning and have trimmed down the lead to mere 22 runs.

IND 46 & 334/3 (69 Overs)

Rain has halted play on day 4 of the 1st India vs New Zealand Test match in Bengaluru. Just as Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant were starting to hit gears, the rain has decided to halt proceedings and that’s music to the ears of Tom Latham and co. India trail by 12 runs and that won’t be good news for the BlackCaps.

IND 46 & 344/3 (71 Overs)

As rain continues to pour, the umpires have taken lunch on day four of the 1st IND vs NZ Test in Bengaluru. India trail by 12 runs.

Update from Bengaluru is that rain has stopped and the ground staff will now clear the water collected over the covers. Hoping to see some action soon.

Word from the field is that play will resume at 1:50 PM IST, some ten-twelve minutes from now. Waiting further to know as to when they take tea.

Session 2: 13:50 to 15:30
Tea: 15:30 to 15:50
Session 3: 15:50 to 17:15
Total 74 minimum overs for the day, 24 overs lost due to rain

Post-lunch session produced some drama and excitement as India took the lead on fourth day of the 1st IND vs NZ Test. Rishabh Pant is unbeaten along with centurion Sarfaraz Khan, as both the duo are looking to counter-attack the Kiwi bowlers.

IND 46 & 364/3 (74 Overs)

After a quiet start, Rishabh Pant has raced off to 83 off 81 deliveries as NZ bowlers just don’t know ‘when it will end’. India have raced off to a lead, meaning the visitors will bat again their second innings.

IND 46 & 388/3 (78 Overs)

New Zealand have taken the new ball as India brought up 400 in their second innings. The hosts lead by 44 runs. Huge session coming now especially with the new ball in the offing now for the visitors.

IND 46 & 400/3 (80 Overs)

Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan have been beaten by the new ball numerous times and could cost India a wicket. However, the duo have thwarted that threat and played defiantly as they look to build on a decent second innings lead.

IND 46 & 405/3 (83 Overs)

Sarfaraz Khan was dismissed for a well-made 150 but that did not deter the home team as Rishabh Pant (97 not out) joined along with KL Rahul to build on the lead. Pant hit a huge 107m six off Tim Southee as he announced himself in the game. Ian Smith on-air going ga-ga over the 26-year-old batter.

IND 46 & 426/4 (87 Overs)

Just as India were looking to seize the initiative, the Kiwis have fought back with three wickets including Ravindra Jadeja’s post-tea. India have not yet crossed 100-run lead and things could get messy for the hosts.

IND 46 & 444/7 (94 Overs)

Ravichandran Ashwin was the eight wicket to fall as NZ tightened their grip on the Test. Despite the lead over 100, the visitors need two more wrap up the second innings and bat again.

India have been bowled out for 462, thus handing a lead of 107. The BlackCaps have been superb since the second new-ball and have been on the money at the Indian batters. Matt Henry, a fifer in the first innings, followed it up with a three-for in the second to take the initiative. India will have to be at their LEVEL best to bowl New Zealand out.

IND 46 & 462 (99.3 Overs)

Overs remain but the umpires have taken the light meter out and see play cannot resume. NZ openers have walked off but Rohit Sharma and the Indian players are not happy at the ruling. Rohit is arguing with the umpires regarding the decision.