Hyderabad, Nov 12: When Daniel Vettori won the toss at the start of today’s match and decided to bat first, he said that his side would have to bat well and put runs up on the board if they were to put India under any kind of pressure in this game. Perhaps it was in reaction to Vettori’s prognosis that the Kiwi batsmen put in yet another determined display of batting on day one of the Hyderabad Test.

For India, there was a lot of debate whether S Sreesanth would retain his place ahead of Ishant Sharma for this match. With MS Dhoni deciding to field an unchanged squad from the first Test, the onus was on Sreesanth to prove his selection and the fast bowler did just that by dismissing Brendon McCullum (4) in just the fourth over of the day. A few deliveries later Sreesanth also had Martin Guptill caught behind by Dhoni, but with television replays suggesting that Sreesanth had overstepped in the process, Guptill was called back to take his place at the batting crease.

Having replaced Brian Watling at number three in the Kiwi lineup, Guptill proved his selection during the course of the next couple of sessions. Batting alongside opener Ian McIntosh, who did not have a single run to show for his efforts in the Ahmedabad Test, the duo put on a steady partnership of 147 runs for the second wicket. Guptill was eventually dismissed by Pragyan Ojha, trapped LBW for a score of 85, just a few minutes before the teams broke for tea.

Ross Taylor, coming in at the fall of Guptill’s wicket, then struck a 55-run partnership with McIntosh but was caught behind by Dhoni off Zaheer Khan’s bowling with the score at 206. McIntosh meanwhile, having posted his fifth half-century in Guptill’s company, grew in confidence and began using his feet regularly to the spinners. He hit Suresh Rain for a couple of boundaries to the long-off fence and even tried the same shot against Harbhajan Singh on the on side, but was lucky to survive as Rahul Dravid was unable to get his fingers around a ball that was always getting away from him.

McIntosh finally brought up his century having played 238 deliveries, a knock that included 10 fours and a six. He might remained unbeaten at stumps, but was bowled by a Zaheer Khan delivery, the ball taking the inside edge of his bat and crashing on to his stumps, in the second last over of the day. Wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins then made his way out as night-watchman and the Kiwis finished the day at 258 for 4, with Jesse Ryder remaining unbeaten on 22. For India it was an attritional day of Test cricket, where a spirited Kiwi performance once again challenged their stature as the number one Test team in the world.

Brief Score – New Zealand 1st innings 258 for 4 (Tim McIntosh 102, Martin Guptill 85, Zaheer Khan 2-41).