Chasing a stiff target of 407 runs to win, Team India went down fighting and were dismissed for 366 in their second innings as they slumped to a 40-run defeat against New Zealand in the first Test at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday. It was a roller-coaster fourth day with with India showing enormous steel led by Shikhar Dhawan (115) but middle order failed to take India home.
India resumed their second innings at 87 for 1 and the visitors were on course with Shikhar Dhawan (115) and Virat Kohli (67) sharing 126 runs for the third wicket but pacer Neil Wagner took two crucial wickets in the post-lunch session to derail India's chase
After a disastrous tour, Dhawan returned to form as he cracked a patient century and anchored the Indian innings along with Kohli but Wagner's double blow left India tottering at 270 for 5 at tea and it was left to skipper MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, who launched a counterattack to leave the Kiwis dazed but once they departed India failed to overhaul the target.
Team India started the day still in need of 320 runs with nine wickets in hand and Dhawan and Pujara looked to provide them a solid start. In the very first over of the day, Dhawan brought up his fifty hitting five fours. Dhawan had a shaky start as he survived a couple of LBW shots, even through they seemed to be sailing over the stumps.
