WTC final | Day 2: Kohli-Rahane ensure India's upper hand after Kiwis waste perfect bowling conditions

Skipper Virat Kohli batted with admirable patience and absolute control to lead India’s charge on a rain-hit, cloudy second day of the World Test Championship final against New Zealand. 

Virat Kohli led India’s revival after Blackcaps stuck tho their task of disciplined line and length bowling along with Ajinkya Rahane to take India to a somewhat strong position at 146/3 at the stumps on the second day. 

For the dismays of the fans across the world and at the Ageas Bowl, along with both unbeaten Indian batsmen, the second day too was marred by the threat of rain and bad light due to consistent overcast conditions. Only 64 over could be completed as the majority of the play in the pst-tea session was washed out due to bad light and imminent rain.

Earlier in the day, Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to unleash an all-pace attack on the Indian batting team, that was short of real match practice. New Zealand chose to overlook the left-arm spin of Ajaz Patel and played the quartet of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson, along with the nibbler of the ball Collin de Grandhommme.

Indian opener Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill started on a nervous note and the young right-hander from Punjab survived an early run-out chance. However, they were focused on what New Zealand new-ball bowlers Tim Southee, and Trent Boult were offering and was aware of their off stump to leave as many as they could afford to.

New Zealand were guilty of searching too much help out of the overhead conditions and the pitch and tried to employ all the tricks one after another after finding conditions going in favour of them. They were wayward at the start and offered scoring opportunities to both Sharma and Gill in search of magic deliveries and confident Indian openers were awake to the opportunities to cash in.

The duo took Indian unscathed past the first hour, but Kiwis mend their ways and went back to the basics which they have been doing over the past couple of years in the World Test Championship cycle.

Jamieson got Sharma lured into playing at one he was leaving before the delivery he edged to Southee at the third slip by extracting late swing, while Neil Wagner did floor Gill with his in and out tricks within his first two balls of the game.

New Zealand built pressure and the good start by openers was all but squandered by the batsmen in the second hour of the first session. Cheteshwar Pujara carried on his merry way and took ages to get off the mark while Virat Kohli opened his account with a sublime cover drive off Wagner to announce his arrival.

Pujara’s long stay at the crease could not pay dividends to India in terms of runs and it was down to the tried and tested pair of Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli if India were to not let the game drift away from their grasp.

They batted with control and left the ball all alone outside of their eye line. Southee troubled both of them on numerous occasions but they rode their luck and did not nick behind. 

The day must have been a frustrating one for both sides with constant on and off the field movement due to bad light but Kohli and Rahane had enough concentration with them to take India home without any further damage.

The morning session of the third day holds the key in deciding the path of the game as if India can bat one full session without losing too many wickets, they will have runs to play within conditions that are tailor-made for bowlers. However, New Zealand would be itching to get out on the field and bundle India out as soon as possible to keep them under pressure.