Shreyas Iyer, India's 303rd Test player, scored a half-century on debut as India carried their excellent T20I form into Tests against the Blackcaps. Iyer, a regular member of the Indian limited-overs team, became the 30th Indian player to score a half-century in his Test debut. He went on to score 75* and appears to be on track for a century in his first Test.
In terms of the first day of the first Test, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bat first. Shubman Gill, making his Test debut, hit his fourth fifty to give India a strong start. Ajinkya Rahane was out for 35 after failing to convert another start. Mayank Agarwal was the only batter who did not score 20 runs. On the day, India had three half-centuries, with Ravindra Jadeja also getting in on the act and remaining 50* at stumps. With two players in place, India hopes to go on and score at least 400 runs on Day 2.
Except for Kyle Jamieson, who took three wickets out of a total of four, New Zealand, the World Test Champions, didn't look like the winners of the final test. Tim Southee, the ace bowler, was economical and took Pujara's wicket as well. To stay in this game, the Kiwis will need to get the wickets of well-set Iyer and Jadeja tomorrow morning.
303 – Shreyas Iyer became the 303rd player to play for India in Tests.
30 – Shreyas Iyer is the 30th Indian player to score a half-century in his Test debut.
1 – Kyle Jamieson (49) is one wicket away from reaching 50 Test scalps.
1 – Kyle Jamieson, in his ninth Test, has a chance to become New Zealand's fastest to 50 wickets in Tests. Shane Bond accomplished the same feat in 12 Tests.
3 – Shreyas Iyer became the third Indian player in Test history to score a fifty on debut against New Zealand. The other two were Rameshchandra Nadkarni and Devang Gandhi.
2010 – Shreyas Iyer becomes the first player in 11 years to score a fifty on debut for India in a home Test. Subramaniam Badrinath and Cheteshwar Pujara did it, respectively, against South Africa and Australia.
1 – Kyle Jamieson is in Asia for his first Test. His previous eight Tests were all played at home or in England.
126- Tim Southee has taken 126 wickets for New Zealand in away/neutral Tests. With Trent Boult (128) out this series, he has a chance to pass him and move up to third on the list.
9 – Mayank Agarwal has now gone nine Test innings without a half-century. His last appearance was against the Kiwis in February 2020.
50- Ravindra Jadeja equaled his highest Test score of 50* against New Zealand. He scored the same 50* against New Zealand in the last Test, which was played in Kanpur in 2016.
