IND vs NZ: The Kanpur Test pitch has shown variable bounce that has troubled batters.© Twitter
The ongoing first Test match in Kanpur has displayed variable bounce so far which has been tough to handle at times for both India as well as New Zealand. The low bounce troubled the home team later on in their first innings, something the visitors also experienced during their time in the middle. Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer weighed in on the Kanpur pitch in his own unique style where he used a Bollywood meme to describe the status of the pitch and the players.
Jaffer posted: “Bounce to Kanpur pitch curator: #INDvNZ: Thoda neeche thoda neeche bolke kitna neeche leke aagaya.”
The Indian team were at the receiving end of an unpredictable pitch which showed signs of wearing from the first day itself.
India, however, batted well to post 345 runs in their first innings. Shreyas Iyer stamped his authority in the longest format of the game as he scored a hundred on debut in Tests.
Apart from Iyer, opener Shubman Gill and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also contributed with respective half-centuries.
Variable bounce helped Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Ajaz Patel bring New Zealand back into the game with quick wickets.
Southee registered a superb five-wicket haul while Jamieson also impressed with three wickets. Spinner Patel bowled tight lines and lengths and ended with two wickets in his kitty.
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New Zealand batting, on the other hand, also showcased resilience with opener Tom Latham and Will Young scoring gutsy fifties to give their team a good start in the first innings.
However, Indian spinners came into their own on Day 3 with Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin among the wickets again.
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