Yet again, India's vaunted batting line-up came up short against a disciplined line of spin bowling on a wicket that allowed turn and natural variation. New Zealand spinners bowled with control to leave the home team tottering at 100 for 7 at lunch on the second day of the second Test in Pune.
The visitors' first innings total of 259 now looks too large after Virat Kohli, who reached the milestone of 9,000 Test runs in the last match, failed yet again in the first innings of a Test. His uncharacteristic swipe at a full toss from Mitchell Santner that knocked his leg stump over encapsulated Indian batting in the morning session.
Before Kohli's quick exit, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Subman Gill started the day cautiously. Gill survived a confident appeal from Santner before he freed his arm against Tim Southee for a straight six. But that was the only act of aggression as he was trapped in front when he pushed at a ball that came straight.
Glenn Phillips needed only four balls to make a mark as he extracted an edge from Jaiswal when he pushed at a quicker delivery. Rishabh Pant was his next victim when the Indian 'keeper-batter jumped at a flatter ball on off stump. But he missed the line completely and was bowled, leaving India at 83 for 5.
Santner then left India reeling when Safaraz Kahn popped a simple catch to mid-on and trapped Ravichandran Ashwin in front with a ball that came with the arm.
At lunch, India were trailing by 152 runs with the last pair of recognised batters at the crease.
