New Zealand unveiled some much-needed grit in the first cricket Test as Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson neutralised Indian spin on the fourth morning at Hyderabad.

After a two-hour delay caused by heavy rain, the New Zealanders survived a 90-minute session to go to lunch on Sunday at 1-92.

Resuming at 1-41, they employed a mixture of caution and aggression to not lose a wicket with five sessions remaining at the Rajiv Ghandi International Stadium.

It was rare session win for the tourists, who still trail by 187 runs overall after being dismissed for 159 in the first innings in reply to India’s 438.

Opener McCullum moved from 16 to 39 and Williamson from three to 31 as they defied the spin-twin attack of Pragyan Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin, who took nine scalps between them in the first dig.

Rain meant just 37 over were possible on Saturday and a deluge early on Sunday raised the prospect of the fourth day being washed out.

It cleared quickly but a poor forecast suggests New Zealand could yet be helped by the weather in their quest to force a draw.