A Brendon McCullum double century followed by early Indian wickets have put New Zealand on top after two days of the first Test in Auckland.
India were 4-130 in their first innings in reply to the Black Caps’ 503 when bad light stopped play 17 overs early on Friday, with Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane mounting a rebuilding effort.
Rohit, whose four previous Tests have produced two centuries, was 67 not out and Rahane was unbeaten on 23.
New Zealand struck in the very first over when Trent Boult picked up the scalps of opener Shikhar Dhawan (0) and Cheteshwar Pujara (1).
Boult, who got some late swing in a lively opening spell, found the edge both times to leave India reeling at 2-3.
That became 3-10 when Virat Kohli (4) was caught in the slips off a Tim Southee bouncer.
Neil Wagner then bowled opener Murali Vijay for 26 to leave India at 4-51.
The New Zealand innings came to a close in the day’s middle session at Eden Park with the dismissal of McCullum for 224.
His tally was one short of his highest Test score, which was also against India, in Hyderabad in late 2010.
McCullum fell to an excellent catch by Ravindra Jadeja at long-on.
The spinner threw the ball in the air when he knew he was going over the boundary rope with it before returning to the field of play to complete the dismissal.
McCullum faced 307 balls and spent more than seven-and-a-half hours at the crease, hitting 34 boundaries, including five sixes.
On the first day, he shared in a 221-run partnership with Kane Williamson (113) after New Zealand had been struggling at 3-30.
On the second morning, he and Corey Anderson pushed the run rate along before Anderson departed on 77 to end a 133-run stand.
McCullum brought up his second double century in style, with two boundaries in the last over before lunch, a six back over bowler Jadeja and a sweep for four.
McCullum’s dismissal gave seamer Ishant Sharma, who passed 150 Test wickets on day one, the figures of 6-134.
It was a deserved return for Ishant, who was the most consistent of the Indian attack.
