Nagpur, Nov 20:With New Zealand reeling at 148-7 at the close of play on Day One of the third and final Test, Indian bowlers enjoyed a near perfect day at the office.

Pragyan Ojha, who claimed two wickets, said that the track was helping the spinners and all he needed to do was bowl in the right areas and leave the rest to the pitch. In a media interaction, Ojha said that although his role is to contain the opposition and not give easy runs, he never bowls a negative line.

Excerpts:

On the wicket:

Yeah, I mean getting all the batsmen out, with just McCullum [Brendon] batting, it is great that we have taken a lead on the first day itself.

On whether he enjoyed bowling on this track:

Yeah, it was doing something for the spinners. It was all about being disciplinesd and bowling in the right areas. And I did my job.

On second day’s play:

I think as far as our bowling is concerned we will like to finish off the tail and then put on a good lead so that in the second innings we can put their batsmen under pressure.

On Brendon McCullum coming down the order because of injury:

I think it didn’t make much difference because at the other end it is just the tail-enders batting. It is just a matter of time and getting a couple of wickets.

On MS Dhoni having assigned him the role of the ‘containing’ bowler:

I know that I have to bowl very straight but I never bowl negative or bowl to a side where there was no chance of getting a wicket. Yes, I am trying to contain the runs and put pressure by not giving easy runs. But I am still attacking the stumps.

On whether he was surprised at New Zealand’s collapse:

I think the best answer would be like- It is Cricket and anything can happen. It is a very funny game.

On coming onto bowl when New Zealand were on the backfoot:

As a bowler and as a player I never think that a side is down by 5 wickets or so , I keep doing what I have to do.

On his role and the restrictive line:

I think when you're playing for the country and the team needs you to do something then that is what you should be up to. When our wickets are such- the track on which we played today- I think you don’t need to bowl a negative line, instead you have to attack. I think if we give away loose runs then at the end of the day we have to get those runs. I think it is not good to give easy runs to the opposition.