Kane Williamson and skipper Brendon McCullum have mounted a rescue operation to lift New Zealand to 3-179 at tea on the opening day of the first cricket Test against India in Auckland.

Williamson was on 79 and McCullum 71 at the break, with their partnership worth 149.

The pair came together with the Black Caps precariously placed at 3-30 and they negotiated their way to lunch.

They then accelerated the run-rate, adding 125 runs in the middle session, when cloud cover gave way to sun and a green-tinged pitch appeared to have settled.

McCullum showed his aggressive intent when he cut seamer Ishant Sharma for successive fours.

Williamson followed up in the next over by hooking a Mohammed Shami delivery for the innings’ first six to bring up the New Zealand hundred.

He again cleared the rope to reach his 50, top-edging a Zaheer Khan bouncer over the short fine-leg boundary.

To bring up the century partnership, he produced a classic cover drive for four.

The pair continued to dominate the bowlers, McCullum driving, cutting and pulling his way to 10 runs from one Khan over.

Williamson did earlier survive a life on 32, edging a Shami delivery to first slip, where Murali Vijay spilled a knee-high chance.

But his latest knock continues his excellent form against the tourists, against whom he scored half-centuries in each of the five one-dayers.

During a cold, windy morning session, a lively Ishant claimed two of the wickets to fall.

Skipper MS Dhoni’s decision to bowl after winning the toss got early reward with openers Hamish Rutherford (6) and Peter Fulton (13), and danger man Ross Taylor (3) all out cheaply.