February 18, 2014
Brief Scorecard: New Zealand 192 (Ishant 6-51, Shami 4-70) and 680 for 8 decl. (McCullum 302, Neesham 137*, Watling 124, Zaheer 5-170) drew with India 438 (Rahane 118, Dhawan 98, Dhoni 68, Southee 3-93) and 166 for 3 (Kohli 105*, Southee 2-50)
February 18, 2014
Brief Scorecard: New Zealand 192 (Ishant 6-51, Shami 4-70) and 680 for 8 decl. (McCullum 302, Neesham 137*, Watling 124, Zaheer 5-170) drew with India 438 (Rahane 118, Dhawan 98, Dhoni 68, Southee 3-93) and 166 for 3 (Kohli 105*, Southee 2-50)
The New Zealand players celebrate after winning the series, New Zealand v India, 2nd Test, Wellington, 5th day, February 18, 2014
WELLINGTON: Virat Kohli hit his sixth hundred as India drew the second Test against New Zealand on the fifth day at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Tuesday to lose the two-Test series 0-1.
Kohli reached his sixth hundred off 129 balls and remained unbeaten on 105 with Rohit Sharma not out on 31 ending India's second innings at 166/3 with a partnership of 112 runs.
Stumps were drawn with the mutual calls of both captains as soon as the last hour started.
This match will definitely go down in history as one of the best comebacks ever by New Zealand.
India's overseas record has gone bad to worse and they will go back home without winning a single game on the tour.
Brendon McCullum became the first New Zealand batsman to score a triple-century, New Zealand v India, 2nd Test, Wellington, 5th day, February 18, 2014
Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum scored a spectacular triple ton. Indian bowlers went for plenty of runs and failed to pick wickets. And eventually New Zealand got a huge lead. India were left chasing 435 runs in two-odd sessions.
In the first couple of days, India played some superb cricket and it looked like the match might end by Tea on Day 3 and India would end their overseas winless streak. But then as they say, cricket's a game with glorious uncertainties.
McCullum and Bradley Watling shared a record partnership between them and slowly took the game away from India.
Scoring a triple ton is never easy but what more important was the situation McCullum played in. He came out to bat when New Zealand were struggling and he wasn't 100% fit.
McCullum had a shoulder problem and was in pain throughout. He took painkillers at regular intervals. But he led from the front and became the first Kiwi player to score a triple century.
Kohli and Sharma started batting fluently after tea and brought up their 100-run stand off 155 balls.
Virat Kohli raises the bat after reaching his hundred, New Zealand v India, 2nd Test, Wellington, 5th day, February 18, 2014
Kohli brought up the 50-run stand with Sharma with a superb straight drive boundary off Trent Boult.
Kohli and Sharma took the Indian second innings score to 90/3 at tea.
The stand between Kohli and Sharma came after Tim Southee took his second wicket by dismissing Cheteshwar Pujara.
Pujara (17) was looking stable at the crease as he put up a steady partnership with Virat Kohli before he was caught by New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum off Southee's bowling.
Earlier, India got off to a bad start as they lost openers Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay soon after lunch.
The visitors began their second innings needing 435 runs in 67 overs to win the Test and went to the lunch break on 10 for none.
However, Trent Boult gave the hosts their first breakthrough in as soon as the first over after lunch when he dismissed Dhawan (2) by catching him plumb.
In the very next over, Southee dismissed Vijay (7) when he had the opener caught by Corey Anderson to leave India reeling at 11/2 after 6 overs.
Earlier, McCullum became the first New Zealand batsman to score a Test triple-century as the hosts declared their second innings on 680-8 before lunch.
Captain McCullum's 302 virtually ensured his team will win the two-match series, having won the first game by 40 runs at Eden Park, while giving them a chance of bowling India out in the two remaining sessions at Wellington's Basin Reserve to clinch a second victory.
Jimmy Neesham celebrates his century, New Zealand v India, 2nd Test, Wellington, 5th day, February 18, 2014
Debutant all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, who had resumed on 67 on Tuesday, quickly raced through to his first Test century and was 137 not out when McCullum called an end to the innings about 25 minutes before the break.
Neil Wagner was two not out for the hosts, who declared at their highest Test score, surpassing the 671-4 they accumulated against Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve in 1991.
The morning belonged to McCullum, however, who resumed on 281 and went effortlessly through to 298 before slicing a late cut off paceman Zaheer Khan to the fence to bring up the milestone with his 32nd four.
McCullum's triple-century was the 28th in Test cricket and the New Zealand skipper became the 24th player to score one.
Brian Lara, Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle and Don Bradman all struck two triple-tons.
McCullum, 32, raised his arms while the small crowd rose to their feet, their applause lasting more than a minute.
Former captain Martin Crowe had the previous highest score by a New Zealand batsman of 299 in the 1991 match against Sri Lanka.
Courtesy: PTI
