Mayank, Ajaz make their mark

While the Indian batter scored an unbeaten 120, Kiwi spinner took four wickets on Day 1 of second Test

Mayank Agarwal knew his time with the Indian side was running out. He had to come up with a statement knock.

Ajaz Patel, though born in Mumbai, was playing at the Wankhede for the first time but as a New Zealander. His local relatives were over there to watch him.

The stakes were high, and tension even more palpable after the first session of the second Test had to be abandoned due to a wet outfield. But as the sun came out and raised hopes of unabated action, both Mayank and Ajaz delivered in vastly different but equally vibrant ways.

The opener shoved his lacklustre form aside and came up with a belligerent 120 not out. The left-arm spinner turned his 'homecoming' into a fairytale as he bowled 29 overs for four wickets.

Also read: Ton-up Agarwal helps India to 221-4 after Patel's four wickets

These two men dictated the fate of the day’s play for Mayank’s superfluous innings meant India would reach 221 in 70 overs, and Ajaz’s guile meant New Zealand would see off four of India’s batters on a pitch which promises to get better on the second day. Moreover, the Mayank-Ajaz battle was the only one that could relegate the team drama from a few hours ago.

Even as the two pitch inspections pushed the toss to 11:30 pm, the BCCI announced that Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja will not be available for selection due to injuries.

Ishant did hurt his little finger in Kanpur, and Jadeja has complained of a right-forearm swelling for a while, but Rahane’s news came as a surprise, especially since he batted at BKC’s indoor nets without discomfort the day before the game. He was also seen running with the team prior to the start of the match.

Returning skipper Kohli, Mohammed Siraj and Jayant Yadav filled out the slots.

New Zealand too had a concern as Kane Williamson’s flared elbow rendered him unavailable and Tom Latham was made the skipper. Daryl Mitchell replaced Williamson.

With all this information yet to sediment, Kohli won the toss and chose to bat with 78 overs to be played.

And India got off to a flier with both Shubman Gill and Mayank matching each other stroke for stroke. But Shubman (44), characteristically, looked to reiterate his dominance by charging down the track to Ajaz in the 28th over. He didn’t get to the pitch of the ball and would have been stumped had ’keeper Tom Blundell held onto the ball. The very next ball Shubman played away from his body and nicked it to Ross Taylor at slip. No mistakes were made there.

India were down a wicket for 80 runs. Still, a fantastic start, or so it seemed.

Pujara yorked himself, and Kohli stretched out to an arm-ball and was given out by on-field umpire Anil Chaudhary for nought.

Still reeling from his contentious decision, Kohli settled in the dressing room to watch Mayank look every bit the batter he was picked for being: stylish, quick to judge length and in command.

Only Ajaz was a problem, even for Mayank from time to time, but every time the Bengalurean felt cornered, he hit back. The others couldn’t, and that’s a testament to Ajaz’s skill.