New Zealand’s bowlers have backed up their batsmen with three early wickets to leave India facing a rebuilding operation in the first cricket Test in Auckland.
India were 3-45 at tea on day two in reply to the Black Caps’ first innings total of 503, which included skipper Brendon McCullum’s second double century in Tests.
Trent Boult set the tourists back in the first over, picking up the wickets 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 after Virat Kohli was caught in the slips off a Tim Southee bouncer.
Kohli was unhappy with his dismissal for four and replays showed the ball bouncing off his helmet, but also brushing a glove along the way.
Earlier in the session, McCullum’s captain’s knock ended at 224, one run short of his highest Test score.
He was the last New Zealand batsman out, falling to an excellent catch by long-on fieldsman Ravindra Jadeja.
The spinner threw the ball back in-field when he knew it was going to go over the boundary rope, before crossing back in to complete the dismissal.
McCullum faced 307 balls and spent more than 7-1/2 hours at the crease, hitting 34 boundaries, including five sixes.
His best Test score also came against India, in Hyderabad in late 2010.
He brought up his double century at Eden Park in style, with two boundaries in the last over before lunch.
He hit one delivery from Jadeja back over the bowler for a six, before sweeping the final ball of the session for a 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 pick of the Indian attack.