New Zealand were pleasantly surprised to find some help for their quicks in the pitch at Eden Gardens, fast bowler Matt Henry has said. Henry took three wickets on a day New Zealand kept India to 239 for 7. This could still be a big total given India’s spinners and the absence of Kane Williamson, but it was overall quite a satisfactory day for New Zealand considering they had lost the toss.”It was a fair wicket,” Henry said. “Obviously, coming over here you probably don’t expect conditions like that at the start of the day so we knew we had to make the most of that, especially being put in with the ball. It was always going to be tough work through that middle period when it would become a good surface. We had to find ways to put pressure on when we weren’t taking wickets and as a bowling group that is a box we ticked today.”Before they put that pressure through dry bowling, though, New Zealand had to make sure they used the pitch that would have sweated in the preceding days because of the overcast skies and the covers on it. “We knew it was important with the new ball to take advantage of it because the wicket had been under covers for a long time so that was going to be a crucial part of the game,” Henry said. “The way we went about our work today was outstanding. We knew we had to make sure we controlled the run rate because it is very tough in these conditions to take wickets.”Moving forward from there it was just important to maintain those [bowling] partnerships through the middle and make sure we could create pressure by building dots. Our spinners were outstanding today. Jeets [Jeetan Patel] and Sat [Mitchell Santner] were fantastic in allowing us to build a lot of pressure, and that manifested to what happened at the end of the day.”Patel was in England last week, not even dreaming of playing for New Zealand when an injury to Mark Craig resulted in a call-up. Henry, who hardly ever bowls badly, is not a regular in the New Zealand XI because of the surplus pace resources. He, too, was not part of the original squad, but came in only thanks to an injury to Tim Southee. For such players, keeping themselves fit and prepared is a big challenge, but New Zealand players have shown they are always prepared.Matt Henry struck with both the new balls•BCCI

“I knew I had to make sure I did all my preparation,” Henry said. “I’ve still being doing a lot of training and work behind the scenes. Even not being able to play in South Africa, I was still doing a lot of work with the coaches in the nets and making sure I was ready to go if needed. We had a few warm-up games out at Lincoln, some winter training squad one-dayers to keep the loads up.”It is easier said than done, though, to retain the sunny attitude when you know your chances are not as frequent as you want them to be. “It’s never easy but it is one of those things that we have such a strong bowling group,” Henry said. “It is a good position for us to be in, you just always have to prepare to play and focus on what the team needs and what your role is going to be so if you do get called in you can do what we need to get done.”Henry was full of praise for Patel too, who took the wickets of a set Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma. “It is a tough ask coming in from England and only having a couple of days to prepare,” Henry said. “He’s obviously got a lot of experience. He brought a lot of energy in the field and experience and confidence. I thought the way he played today was exceptional, the way both spinners played in tandem. They showed a lot of control and created pressure through those tough periods where it was really hot and important we could control that run rate because we had to keep that squeeze on.”While Rahane felt this was a two-paced pitch and that 300 was a good score on it especially considering a Williamson-less New Zealand might have to bat last. Henry said his batsmen were capable of taking the game deep, just as the bowlers did. “We have a great batting line-up and obviously it is a shame not to have Kane there but I know our batsmen will [apply themselves],” he said. “It is going to be a tough day with the heat and things like that. We just have to keep playing the long game and apply it as best we can.”

Tottenham Hotspur manager target Roberto De Zerbi has decided not to join Spurs alongside Feyenoord's Arne Slot, according to reports.

Who could Spurs appoint as manager?

Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy have just been dealt a major setback in their pursuit of Antonio Conte's replacement, who departed north London over two months ago.

The search is now becoming reminiscent of Tottenham's long, drawn out attempts to hire Jose Mourinho's successor in 2021 – with Levy and co eventually settling on Nuno Espirito Santo.

Slot, previously billed as a top target, was also widely tipped to be closing in on a move to Tottenham – but the 44-year-old has since come out to confirm he will remain in the Eredivisie.

“I have heard a lot about the interest of other clubs in me,” Slot told the Algemeen Dagblad (via 90min).

“My wish is to stay with Feyenoord and continue to build on the foundations that have been laid over the past two seasons.

"There are no transfer talks going on and there have been none and yesterday's discussion was solely about a possible extension. All conversations with Feyenoord are only aimed at that. I look forward to the new season at Feyenoord.”

It's back to the drawing board for Spurs who must now look at alternatives, with Brighton boss De Zerbi having been linked with a move as well.

However, in another blow for the Lilywhites, reporter Wayne Veysey has shared some news on the Italian in a piece for Football Insider.

He claims De Zerbi has decided to stay at Brighton and not join Tottenham after they sounded him out, with Spurs making another push recently.

However, the Seagulls boss has informed his club that he will remain, as the north Londoners miss out on another managerial target.

Who is Roberto De Zerbi?

The 43-year-old has come on leaps and bounds this season and could be a contender for one of the managers of this Premier League this season.

De Zerbi is chasing Europe with Brighton, a previously unprecedented aim, with Man City boss Pep Guardiola also calling him "incredible" for his football.

The former Sassuolo manager has also been called "one of the most influential managers" of the last 20 years by Guardiola.

His brand of attack-minded, expansive football was surely a pull for Levy and Spurs, but as their manager hunt continues to unfold, it appears they won't see De Zerbi join any time soon.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Swansea City defender Ryan Manning this summer and the 26-year-old's potential arrival could see the Yorkshire outfit finally get rid of Junior Firpo for good.

Could Leeds United sign Ryan Manning?

According to Football League World, the left-back is on Leeds' radar regardless of the division they find themselves in next season, with relegation looking likely to be confirmed against Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday.

The former QPR man is available on a free transfer ahead of his contract's expiry at Swansea and would represent a solid option for Leeds considering his impressive displays in the Championship this term.

Would Manning be a good signing for Leeds?

Manning was named as the Swans' player of the year following a campaign which saw him register five goals and ten assists in the second tier, earning a superb 7.20 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Not only is this comfortably better than what any Leeds player has averaged in the Premier League, but it is also more goal contributions than anyone in Sam Allardyce's squad, which emphasises the attacking quality the £9k-per-week Irishman could provide at Elland Road.

Russell Martin identified him as an important player for the Welsh side even in 2021, saying:

“Ryan is someone who can play anywhere. We are going to be very demanding of him because he is a talented player. He knows my feelings on him as a character and a player and he is responding brilliantly.

“I hope he can keep going, wherever he plays he is going to be an important player for us.”

Manning's versatility and experience in the Championship suggest that he could be a superb option for Leeds on a free transfer, especially if he can oust Junior Firpo at left-back, as the Spaniard continues to struggle following his arrival from Barcelona in 2021.

Could Manning replace Firpo?

There is likely to be an exodus of first-team players should Leeds suffer relegation back to the second tier, with former Barcelona man Firpo perhaps one who would consider himself too good for the Championship.

There were high hopes when Marcelo Bielsa brought him in from the Catalan side in a deal worth £12.8m two years ago but he has never really adjusted to the Premier League, with journalist David Anderson dubbing him a "liability" after a tricky debut campaign.

Things haven't gotten much better this season, as his woeful 6.42 rating from WhoScored sees him ranked as the 20th-best performer at Elland Road, with his recent red card against Newcastle United once again highlighting that he cannot be trusted defensively.

Considering Manning has averaged more key passes (2.5 vs 0.4) and shots (1.3 vs 0.1), while he has also been dribbled past on far fewer occasions per game (0.5 vs 1.2) than Firpo, it seems clear that he would be a big upgrade this summer.

Harry Kane will be wasting his time if he chooses to stay at Tottenham Hotspur any longer, pundit Perry Groves has claimed.

What's the latest on Harry Kane's future?

The England captain has one year left on his deal at Spurs, and with the Lilywhites failing to qualify for European football, the 29-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away.

Kane has scored 30 league goals this season, a tally only bettered by Erling Haaland, and given that Spurs are still yet to appoint a sporting director or a new manager, it does feel unlikely that they may challenge for major honours next season.

There have been whispers that Kane could stay at Spurs for one more year before departing for free, but Perry Groves has told TalkSPORT that this would be a waste of time for the striker.

"If he does stay for one more season at Spurs, I think that shows an unbelievable lack of ambition," Groves stated.

"I think it means that he's a little bit too comfortable there.

"He will waste a season of his footballing career if he stays at Spurs. It will be a complete and utter waste of time for him, and I always think that the elite sportsmen should always try and play at the highest level that you can probably play for your talent. He's not."

Where should Harry Kane go?

The £200k-per-week star has arguably achieved all he can at Spurs, becoming their all-time record goalscorer this season, and the club finishing eighth in a campaign where Kane has been outstanding on an individual level highlights the issue he faces there.

If he is to leave in search of major honours, he may have a few different options depending on the level of interest shown this summer. Manchester United have been heavily linked, and Erik ten Hag has reportedly made Kane his top target.

Whilst United have improved this season, their Carabao Cup victory was their first trophy in five years, and there is no guarantee that Kane could challenge for major honours there.

Kane has been linked with Real Madrid amidst uncertainty over the future of Karim Benzema, and he could follow in Gareth Bale's footsteps and regularly challenge for the Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, Kane may not favour a move abroad as he takes aim at Alan Shearer's Premier League goals record, and with United his only realistic option for a move within England right now, it remains unclear what the striker will choose to do.

كشف اتحاد الكرة المصري عن تواصل الرباعي حازم إمام ومحمد بركات وعامر حسين ومحمد أبو الوفا أعضاء المجلس مع المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر حسام حسن، بعد توقيع العقود لتدريب الفراعنة.

ووقع اتحاد الكرة اليوم الثلاثاء، العقود بشكل رسمي مع حسام حسن لتدريب منتخب مصر خلال المرحلة القادمة.

وكان الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم أعلن، تعيين حسام حسن مديراً فنياً لـ منتخب مصر، بعد إقالة البرتغالي روي فيتوريا بعد الخروج من كأس أمم إفريقيا.

طالع.. خاص | اتحاد الكرة يختار بديلًا لـ حازم إمام في منصب المشرف على منتخب مصر

ووفقاً للاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، حرص الرباعي عامر حسين وحازم إمام ومحمد بركات ومحمد أبو الوفا أعضاء مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة على إجراء اتصال تليفوني بالتوأم حسام حسن وإبراهيم حسن لتهنئتهما بعد توقيع عقود تدريب المنتخب الوطني الأول بشكل رسمي.

وكان الرباعي غاب عن حضور جلسة توقيع العقود والتي أقيمت اليوم الثلاثاء بمقر الجبلاية.

سيكون أول ظهور لـ حسام حسن مع منتخب مصر، في البطولة الودية التي ستقام بالإمارات خلال فترة التوقف الدولي الخاص بشهر مارس، بمشاركة منتخبات تونس وكرواتيا ونيوزيلندا.

على المستوى الرسمي، سيلتقي منتخب مصر خلال فترة توقف شهر يونيو القادم مع بوركينا فاسو وغينيا بيساو ضمن منافسات الجولتين الثالثة والرابعة من مواجهات تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

An update has emerged on Leeds United and their plans to replace Sam Allardyce following their relegation down to the Championship.

What's the latest on Rob Edwards to Leeds?

According to The Sun, the Whites are eyeing up Luton Town boss Rob Edwards, alongside Lorient's Regis Le Bris, as a possible candidate for the job in an ambitious swoop.

It is stated that the club want to draw a line under their dismal season by placing their faith in a new manager who can start a long-term project at Elland Road, although it remains to be seen how open the Hatters gaffer would be to the move given his side's promotion to the top-flight.

The club have confirmed that Allardyce has departed Elland Road by mutual consent after failing to achieve survival in his four Premier League matches in charge at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, with an announcement on his successor said to be on the way in the 'coming week'.

How did Rob Edwards perform this season?

The Welshman was dismissed by Watford, despite only losing twice after ten matches in the Championship and went on to win the play-offs with Luton to secure their first-ever promotion to the Premier League.

He enjoyed a terrific campaign with the Hatters and could arrive in west Yorkshire, if they are able to convince him to make the move.

Edwards would surely be a big upgrade on the departed Allardyce, who has not had any experience managing a team competing at the top end of the table for over ten years.

His last top-six finish in any division was third-place with West Ham United in the Championship in 2011/12. The Englishman won 1.87 points per game in the second tier and has since been in the bottom half positions in the Premier League in six of his last eight seasons as a manager.

Edwards, whose football has been described as "intense" by journalist Josh Bunting, is relatively fresh into management and has won League Two with Forest Green Rovers in 2021/22 before, now earning promotion with Luton via the play-offs.

The 40-year-old, who football agency chief Adrian Bevington hailed as "articulate", averaged two points per match in the regular season with his current club across 25 outings to finish third in the league.

These statistics show that Edwards is a promising young coach who has already proven himself to be capable of instilling a winning mentality at both Forest Green and Luton, whereas Allardyce's experience is mainly fighting for survival in the bottom half of the Premier League.

This is why Leeds could land a big upgrade on the former Everton boss as they could bring in an up-and-coming manager who has the ability to mastermind an instant promotion back to the big time, instead of someone who does not have a proven, or recent, track record on that front.

The BCCI has filed a fresh application in the Supreme Court pleading for the court’s July 18 order to be “suspended” until it hears the board’s review and curative petitions

Nagraj Gollapudi28-Sep-20164:26

‘BCCI’s conduct indicates it must have a plan’

The BCCI has filed a fresh application in the Supreme Court pleading for the court’s July 18 order to be “suspended” until it hears the board’s review and curative petitions against the mandatory implementation of most of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.The board’s affidavit, filed on September 27, is not a response to the status report filed by the Lodha Committee in the court, which recommended that all BCCI office bearers be “superseded” because they were stalling the process of implementation of the reforms. The Supreme Court had given the BCCI a week to respond to the status report.The BCCI argued in its affidavit that the board had the right to seek more time before following the various timelines set by the Lodha Committee to set in motion the recommendations approved by the court. “The timelines framed by the Hon’ble Committee do not take into account the legal remedies available to the Applicant [BCCI] in the form of review petition and curative petition,” the affidavit, signed by Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI general manager, administration and game development, stated.The BCCI said it “ought to be granted” adequate time to exhaust its legal remedies. “Grave and irreparable loss, harm and prejudice will be caused to the Applicant if the Application is not heard. It is, therefore, respectfully prayed that this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to pass an order suspending the implementation of the judgment dated 18.7.2016 till the review petition and curative petition are not heard by this Hon’ble Court.”So far, the BCCI has filed two applications with the Supreme Court against its July 18 court order – a review petition and a curative petition. The review petition singled out TS Thakur, the chief justice of India who was on the two-judge bench that passed the order, and said he had a “prejudiced” approach towards the board and should recuse himself from hearing the matter.The curative petition was filed in 2015, challenging the appointment of the Lodha Committee by the court. A curative petition is heard by a panel of five justices of the Supreme Court behind closed doors, once the court has turned down the review petition.On Wednesday, the Lodha Committee submitted to the court a status report listing various “transgressions” of the BCCI. However, the BCCI insisted it had done nothing wrong. The board’s affidavit stated it had sought direction from senior lawyers on whether the board could be barred from carrying out its routine functions at the AGM as alerted by the Lodha Committee in an email on August 31.The board was told that “there was no such direction or mandate in the judgment” which “prohibited” it from carrying on routine functions during the implementation of the recommendations. The affidavit also stated the same was communicated to the Lodha Committee on September 20, when the BCCI explained why the items listed on the AGM agenda had to be carried out. According to the BCCI, the Committee never responded.The affidavit went on to explain that it is a “statutory necessity” to adopt the annual budget for the next fiscal year (2016-17), appoint auditors for next year and adopt the decisions taken by the working committee at the August 22 meeting. The BCCI said in the affidavit that the appointment of Ajay Shirke as the secretary till 2017 was important because he was the “public face” of the board who performs various duties under the board’s rules and regulations.The Lodha Committee – comprising Lodha and retired Supreme Court judges Ashok Bhan and R Raveendran – was formed in January 2015 to determine appropriate punishments for some of the officials involved in the 2013 IPL corruption scandal, and also to propose changes to streamline the BCCI, reform its functioning, prevent sporting fraud and conflict of interest.

The BCCI has to hold elections for the Apex Council, which is set to replace the board’s highest-decision making body, its working committee, and conduct its AGM by December 15

Nagraj Gollapudi01-Sep-2016

The BCCI has to hold elections for the Apex Council, which is set to replace the board’s highest-decision making body, its working committee, and conduct its AGM by December 15.According to a second set of deadlines finalised by the Lodha committee at a meeting in Delhi last Sunday, the BCCI also has to form a fresh IPL governing council by December 30. Within the same time frame, and as advocated by the Lodha reforms upheld by the Supreme Court, the board has to select new committees and appoint a new management.The various state associations have to wrap up their own elections by November 15.Deadlines, part 2

By November 15, 2016
Elections for State Associations
Elections to the Executive Committee of the Players’ Cricket Association
By December 15
Elections to the Apex Council of BCCI, BCCI AGM and Appointment of Ethics Officer and Ombudsman
By December 30
Creation of BCCI Committees, IPL Governing Council and Appointment of the Management under the new Rules

The BCCI had already decided to convene its AGM on September 21, but these deadlines were put up to make sure the board concentrated on the reforms before moving on to new business in 2017.”It was decided to direct the BCCI that the AGM to be called on 21.9.2016 be limited only to routine business concerning the past year (2015-16), and deal with any business or matters relating to the next year (2016-17) only after the adoption of the MoA and Rules as per the recommendations of the Committee in accordance with the same,” the Lodha committee said according to the minutes of its Sunday meeting.The committee released minutes of all its meetings in the last month from which it was learnt that on August 25, BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke had submitted a “First Compliance Report”, detailing the extent to which the board and the state associations had implemented the Lodha reforms.It was also understood the Lodha committee was not updated on the tenders and contracts the BCCI had approved while conducting the two-match T20I series against West Indies in Florida and did not want a similar situation to happen when the board would invite bids for the next set of IPL broadcast and digital rights.Consequently it was decided that Gopal Sankaranarayanan, the Committee’s secretary, would liaise with BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to ascertain “transparency requirements” of bids, tenders and contracts involving the BCCI.During its meeting with Shirke, the Lodha Committee also rejected the report prepared by former Supreme court judge Markandey Katju, which had called the Supreme Court’s judgment to accept a majority of the Lodha reforms as “illegal and unconstitutional.” The Committee also noted that although the BCCI called it the Katju Report, it was an “opinion”.Upon Katju’s advice, the BCCI had filed a review petition against the Lodha reforms before a larger bench of the Supreme Court. But the committee, on August 9, had “impressed” upon Shirke that the “time schedule had to be maintained in accordance with the Supreme Court Order.”

أعلن نادي ليفربول، في بيان رسمي، موعد مباراتيه المرتقبتين ضد فريق سبارتا براج في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الأوروبي.

وأجرى الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، اليوم الجمعة، مراسم قرعة دور الـ16 من بطولة الدوري الأوروبي، موسم 2023/24.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفربول يعلن خوض مباراتين وديتين ضد ثنائي الدوري الإنجليزي

وأسفرت القرعة عن مباراة مرتقبة بين ليفربول الإنجليزي وسبارتا براج التشيكي.

وأصدر ليفربول بيانًا رسميًا للإعلان عن موعد مباراتيه ضد سبارتا براج في البطولة الأوروبية هذا الموسم. موعد مباراة ليفربول وسبارتا براج في الدوري الأوروبي

مباراة الذهاب: يوم الخميس 7 مارس القادم، على ملعب “ليتنا” في تمام الساعة 7:45 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 8:45 بتوقيت السعودية.

مباراة الإياب: يوم الخميس 14 مارس القادم، على ملعب “الأنفيلد” في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، الحادية عشر بتوقيت السعودية.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:29

Agarkar: Kohli batted according to the merit of the ball

An unbroken partnership of 167 between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, the highest of the series so far, put India in control at the end of Indore’s first day of Test cricket. Kohli ended the day on 103, his 13th Test hundred. It was by no means his most enthralling innings, but it was utterly dominant in that he gave New Zealand no inch on a largely attritional day. Rahane, less certain, gutsed it out to stay unbeaten on 79 and India were 267 for 3.Having come together at 100 for 3, with the match in the balance, Kohli and Rahane gradually asserted India’s dominance in front of an enthusiastic crowd numbering over 18,000. Having started watchfully – they added 48 in 20 overs before tea – they grew increasingly fluent, scoring 119 in the final session in 34 overs, at exactly three-and-a-half runs an over.All five of New Zealand’s bowlers were disciplined and had well-thought-out plans, but there was little help for them off a pitch that wasn’t the greatest to look at, with cracks all over its surface, but played more or less true on the first day, if a little slow. The offspinner Jeetan Patel was their best bowler, but his figures – 1 for 65 off 24 overs – told a story: he frequently beat the batsmen in the air, but they usually managed to adjust since it didn’t turn all that much or all that quickly once it landed.Kohli came into the match with scores of 44, 3, 4, 9, 18, 9 and 45 in his last seven Test innings, but the last of them, in Kolkata, had been a superb display of footwork and judgment on a pitch with uneven bounce. It suggested he wasn’t really out of form.Again, in Indore, he avoided the extravagant shots that had got him out in his first three innings of the series, and accumulated steadily, blending into the background for most part. He didn’t offer any clear chances, and the two times he edged the ball, it eluded the fielders: on 39, drift caused him to edge Patel between keeper and slip; on 69, he reached out at a wide-ish length ball from James Neesham, and edged through a vacant first slip.Otherwise, New Zealand could see no way past him and, every now and again, he roused the crowd with his strokeplay. There were a couple of his trademark extra-cover drives, but his most breathtaking shots on the day came on the leg side: a checked pull off Trent Boult, when he adjusted to the ball staying lower than expected; a back-foot whip to the right of midwicket, against the turn, off Mitchell Santner; a clip off the legs, off Boult, that bisected square leg and long leg. All three times, the ball sped away effortlessly, testament both to the quickness of the outfield and to Kohli’s timing.Rahane endured a few nervous moments against the short ball. Twice – on 3 by Matt Henry and on 25 by Neesham – he lifted his hands instinctively to protect his face, and was lucky the ball hit his arm guard on both occasions rather than his glove. On 7, he top-edged a pull as Boult went around the wicket and angled a short ball into his body, and saw the ball fall inches wide of Henry rushing in from the square leg boundary. On 41, he kept his gloves and bat out of the way of a Henry bouncer, but couldn’t move his upper-body across quickly enough to evade it, and took a blow to the back. There were a number of other times when he ducked or swayed awkwardly, with eyes off the ball, as well.Ajinkya Rahane endured a few nervy moments against the short ball•BCCI

But a good batsman makes runs even in discomfort, and Rahane did not let these moments affect him. His defence was solid, and he got his head right on top of the ball while striding forward to the spinners – a failure to do so had cost him his wicket twice in Kanpur. Occasionally, he served up a reminder of his timing, such as when he lofted Patel back over his head and when he drove Santner inside-out to the cover boundary. He went past fifty with a six, stepping out to Patel, not quite reaching the pitch of the ball, but adjusting by playing with an almost horizontal bat to swat the ball over wide long-on.Given the look of the surface, India seemed to gain an early advantage when they won their third toss of the series and their eighth in a row in home Tests. Batting, by general consensus, would be easiest on days one and two. But India didn’t really press their advantage in the first two sessions, despite their batsmen looking fairly comfortable in the middle.The crowd was treated to an entertaining start as M Vijay drove Boult on the up for two fours through the covers in the third over of the morning, and Gautam Gambhir, returning to the Test side after two years to replace the injured Shikhar Dhawan, pulled Henry for successive sixes in the fourth over. Kane Williamson, back in charge of New Zealand after missing the Kolkata Test with illness, brought Patel on in the fifth over, and he struck with his fifth ball, getting it to dip on Vijay, who looked to flick a long way in front of his body and gave Tom Latham the chance to pull off a juggling reflex catch at short leg.There was little turn on offer for Patel and Santner, who bowled from both ends till the 11th over, and Cheteshwar Pujara and Gambhir settled down nicely before Boult and Henry came back into the attack. The quicks changed their lengths to Gambhir in their second spells, bowling noticeably fuller and trying to exploit the left-hander’s tendency to shuffle across his crease. He grew quieter against this mode of attack, scoring only two runs in 20 balls before he was lbw to Boult, bringing his bat down at an angle to a full one that nipped in slightly.Pujara looked serene through to lunch, using his feet to the spinners, getting nicely on top of the rising ball against the quicks, putting the bad ball away, and showing more willingness than in Kolkata – given the lack of turn or seam movement off this surface – to change the angle of his bat face to look for singles on both sides of the pitch.After lunch, however, both he and Kohli had to work hard for their runs as Patel settled into a good rhythm. He caused both batsmen problems, bellowing out an lbw appeal after Kohli went back to a quicker one on a good length – the ball striking his pad just outside the line – and throwing his hands up in the air when Pujara came down the track, failed to cover for drift, and edged a defensive push through backward point.It was Santner, though, who gave New Zealand the breakthrough, in the second over of a new spell. Firing one in just short of a good length, he caused indecision in Pujara, who pressed half-forward, and then went halfway back and ended up caught on the crease as the ball spun sharply past his defensive bat and hit his off stump.