Hyderabad, Aug 23: Cheteshwar Pujara struck his maiden Test century as India grabbed Day 1 honours in the first Test match against New Zealand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad. Pujara’s ton took India to a commanding score of 307 for the loss of five wickets at the end of first day’s play.

With Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman no longer available, there was much anticipation about who would take their place in the batting line-up. India opted to play Cheteshwar Pujara and Suresh Raina with Virat Kohli keeping his place in the playing XI owing to his terrific form in recent months. In the bowling department, the hosts opted to play two quicks with Umesh Yadav partnering Zaheer Khan, while R Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha were included as spinners.

MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat first. It was a quick but streaky start by India. Chris Martin and Trent Boult consistently troubled the Indian openers with Boult finally getting Gambhir (22) to edge one through to wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk off the last ball of the 10th over. At the fall of Gambhir’s wicket, India had reached 49.

Virender Sehwag, however, was luckier. The swashbuckling opener miscued a pull shot off Martin in the ninth over, only for the ball to elude the outstretched hands of Daniel Flynn, standing at square leg. Sehwag then survived another opportunity when he edged Doug Bracewell between van Wyk and Ross Taylor, standing at first slip, in the 13th over. However, after helping himself to a couple of boundaries off Trent Boult in the 14th over, Sehwag (47 off 41 balls) ended up offering an easy catch off Bracewell to Martin Guptill, standing at second slip, in the 15th over. The hosts went into lunch at 97 for two with Cheteshwar Pujara and Sachin Tendulkar holding fort.

Pujara remained solid in defiance of the Kiwi attack in the post-lunch session. Even though Tendulkar (19) was bowled by a Trent Boult delivery that cut in after pitching, Pujara kept the hosts on top by hitting some beautiful boundaries on the offside and bringing up his half-century with a boundary to the backward point fence off James Franklin. At tea, India were 182 for three, with Virat Kohli having helped himself to 32 in a 57-run stand with Pujara.

The first hour of the final session saw New Zealand wilt under the onslaught of the Pujara-Kohli partnership. They put down a couple of catches – Daniel Flynn missing a sharp chance to get rid of Pujara at short-leg and Ross Taylor letting an edge off Virat Kohli’s bat go past his left hand to help the Indian to his half-century – as the hosts raced away to 250 for three in just about an hour after tea. Pujara was the main aggressor; the Indian No.3 lofted Kane Williamson into the stands on the leg side in the 62nd over and then hit the part-timer for a couple of lovely drives down the ground and through the covers in the 64th over.

The Kiwis struck back with Chris Martin snaring Kohli (58) to slash one to Martin Guptill, standing at second slip, in the 69th over. Four overs later, Jeetan Patel was rewarded for his persistence when van Wyk snapped up a sharp chance down the leg side to get rid of Suresh Raina (3). At 260 for five, India appeared to have undone the good done by the 125-run stand between Pujara and Kohli.

Pujara, meanwhile, brought up his first Test century between those two wickets by flicking James Franklin down to fine leg in the 70th over. His century came off 169 balls and included 14 boundaries and one six.

MS Dhoni joined Pujara at the fall of Raina’s wicket, and together, the pair took India past the 300-run mark before the close of play. Pujara survived a close shout a few overs before stumps when a delivery from Chris Martin appeared to have snicked his glove on the way to wicketkeeper van Wyk. Umpire Ian Gould, however, thought differently and ruled Pujara not-out. Pujara remained unbeaten on 119* while Dhoni was on 29* at stumps.

Brief scores:

At end of Day 1: India 1st innings 307/5 in 87.0 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 119*, Virat Kohli 58, Trent Boult 2/63)