India extended their first-innings lead over New Zealand to 109 runs on Saturday, tightening a firm grip on the second Test in Wellington.

Just one wicket fell in the middle session on day two as the tourists marched to 6-301 on a Basin Reserve pitch which is flattening out under sunny skies.

Ajinkya Rahane was on 64 and captain MS Dhoni a boisterous 39, having compiled a stand of 73 which threatens to take the game out of New Zealand’s reach.

The hosts will hope they can make inroads with the second new ball on an increasingly friendly surface, having employed it without effect for just four overs before tea.

Resuming at 2-100 in response to New Zealand’s 192, India reached 5-201 at lunch, bolstered by 98 to opener Shikhar Dhawan.

Virat Kohli was the only wicket to fall after lunch, for 38 when he fell into a trap set by captain Brendon McCullum. He placed two fielders at short cover and the classy Kohli picked out one of them, Hamish Rutherford, with a rare loose drive off Neil Wagner.

That brought Dhoni to the crease and a subsequent upping of the tempo.

The skipper had struck six boundaries in his 57-ball knock while Rahane was no slouch, striking nine fours on his way to a third half-century in his fifth Test.

New Zealand hustled their way back into the Test in the first session, although it took longer than they would have liked to end the 50-ball stay of Ishant Sharma. His 26 was five short of a career top score, one day after securing his best bowling figures of 6-51.

Dhawan batted aggressively until he was also caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling, off Tim Southee.

Dhawan struck 14 fours and one six before falling two runs short of successive centuries, having compiled 115 in India’s unsuccessful fourth-innings run chase at Eden Park last week.

Boult and Southee have two wickets each while allrounder James Neesham claimed his first Test scalp on debut.

Neesham bowled Rohit Sharma for a third-ball duck when the batsman played on unnecessarily to a wide ball.