Bangalore: Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni compiled an unbeaten 104-run partnership for the sixth wicket as India reached 283 for 5 at the end of day two of the second Test against New Zealand, just 82 behind the visitors' first innings score.
Kohli and Dhoni were batting on 93 and 46 respectively when stumps were drawn on Saturday. Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell chalked up three and two wickets respectively for New Zealand.
Kohli came to the crease when India were tottering at 67 for 3 and then lost Sachin Tendulkar when the score was 80. But Suresh Raina and Kohli forged a fine partnership of 99 runs to pull India out of the woods.
Raina was more aggressive in his approach as he smashed a flurry of boundaries and a six over extra cover. He launched a stunning assault on Bracewell and hit three boundaries in his over.
Kohli played responsibly and steadied the shaky Indian innings along with Raina. At tea, Raina and Kohli were unbeaten on 51 and 32 respectively.
Raina (55) fell soon after tea, edging a ball to wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk. Dhoni was in imperious touch from the word go as he bludgeoned a couple of sixes off consecutive balls from Jeetan Patel and later cracked a couple of boundaries in the offspinner's one over.
Dhoni didn't throw away the good start and became watchful later in the innings to remain not out, along with Kohli, at stumps.
Earlier, New Zealand could add just 37 runs to their overnight score of 328 for 6 before India wrapped up the innings 45 minutes into the morning session.
The first wicket came when Suresh Raina took a diving catch at second slip off Zaheer Khan to put an end to a breezy 71-run knock from Van Wyk.
Van Wyk added 99 for the seventh wicket with Bracewell, who was unlucky to be run out for 43 when the ball burst through Zaheer's hand to hit the stumps at the non-striker's end with the batsman short of his crease. Pragyan Ojha then snared Southee to finish the New Zealand innings and complete his five-wicket haul.
India's chase of New Zealand first innings' score of 365 started on the wrong foot, with the hosts losing the wickets of Gautam Gambhir and Cheteshwar Pujara early. Southee took both the wickets. Gambhir was cleaned up shouldering arms to a straight ball while Pujara miscued a pull and was caught out at long leg by Trent Boult.
Sehwag unfurled a string of boundaries after an anxious start while Tendulkar dug in to make scratchy 4 off 41 balls at lunch. Boult troubled Tendulkar on a couple of occasions and bowled exceptionally well.
After lunch, Bracewell prised out Sehwag and Tendulkar in consecutive overs to leave India reeling at 80 for 4. Sehwag flicked the ball in the air and Daniel Flynn grabbed a fine catch at square leg. He made 43 runs. Tendulkar cracked a spectacular straight drive off Bracewell but the bowler roared back and rattled Tendulkar's stumps on the next ball as the master batsman played across the line. He mustered 17 runs off 50 balls.
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