Kolkata: Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled an outstanding spell of seam and swing bowling at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Bhuvi finished with figures of five for 33 at the end of second day’s play. This was Kumar’s fourth five wicket haul and first on home turf.
Kumar first picked the wicket of Kiwi opener Martin Guptill for 13 runs. Guptill was shouldering arms and ball ricocheted of his elbow to hit the stumps. Kumar then accounted for Henry Nicholls, who was replacing ill Kane Williamson. Nicholls never looked in and played on.
The match was interrupted due to rain and when the match resumed Bhuvi and Mohammad Shami bowled with pace and precision. Shami created the pressure from one end and Kumar reaped the rewards. He got the prized wicket of stand-in skipper Ross Taylor for 36 and then got wickets of Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry in quick succession.
Bhuvi was delighted and later said that, “It was one of my dreams to take five wickets in India. When I saw that the wicket would help me, I told myself I want to take five wickets. I really wanted to make use of the opportunity and I’m very happy with how I bowled.”
New Zealand is in dire straits and the defeat is looking inevitable. Indians started the day at 239 for seven would be happy that they managed a competitive score of 316. The local boy Wriddhiman Saha scored valuable 54 runs and the tail wagged. This was Saha’s first half century in India.
India have played smart cricket and broke the myth that they rely on turning tracks as both tweakers Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin got one wicket between them. Bhuvi led from the front and proved a point to his critics in some style.