17,1,22,4, and 0. While these numbers would make for an easy telephone number to remember, these are figures that the Team India batter would want to forget at the earliest. After all, these are their scores in the second innings of the first India-New Zealand Test in Kanpur. As expected, fans on Twitter came down heavy on the players, calling for the axing of several senior Indian pros like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara.
After posting 345 in the first innings and bundling out New Zealand for 296, India headed into their second innings with a 49-run lead. While many believed that India were ahead at the stage, some poor batting display proved to be their undoing.
It began with a nothing shot from Shubman Gill at the fag end of Day 3 that resulted in the batting losing his timber to Kyle Jamieson. He left many experts and fans disappointed as he was expected to remain unbeaten overnight.
On an extremely foggy Sunday morning, Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara resumed the Indian innings at 14/1. Pujara hit a couple of boundaries before gloving a short ball to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell of Kyle Jamieson.
{{/usCountry}}On an extremely foggy Sunday morning, Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara resumed the Indian innings at 14/1. Pujara hit a couple of boundaries before gloving a short ball to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell of Kyle Jamieson.
{{/usCountry}}Less than four overs later, left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel trapped Ajinkya Rahane plumb in front and sent him packing on 4. Rahane took 14 balls to get off strike only to be dismissed the very next ball.
Then, Agarwal nicked a Tim Southee to Tom Lathan in the slip cordon, who did very well to dive to his left and complete a sharp catch. Ravindra Jadeja joined Shreyas Iyer in the middle and just like the first innings, they found themselves in a tricky situation. However, and unlike Day 1, the partnership didn't last long as Tim Southee trapped Jadeja LBW on a duck.
Fans on Twitter were left unimpressed and did not shy away in expressing their anger. Here are some of the reactions.
After 26 overs, India found themselves reeling at 74/5, with a lead of 123 runs.