Harbhajan credits Zaheer for India's healthy position vs NZ

India finished Day Two on 178-2, trailing the Kiwis by 172 runs. "We are positive to set a big total and carry forward the momentum that Viru has provided," Harbhajan told reporters.


Harbhajan praised the curator for providing a lively Test pitch: "It is a fantastic wicket for Test cricket. It has bounce, turn, everything that is needed. I hope that the spinners get even more bounce going into the third and fourth days.

The off-spinner credited fellow Mumbai Indians teammate Zaheer Khan for triggering the New Zealand collapse: "It is great to see him (Zaheer) bowling at his best. In the last two years, he has emerged one of the best fast bowlers in the world."

Harbhajan conceded that the dressing room was disappointed when Sehwag missed a well-deserved Test century. "It was really sad, but we are hoping that Sachin Tendulkar will get to his 50th Test hundred tomorrow (Sunday). That should be a great day for Indian cricket."

Meanwhile, Jesse Ryder, who scored a fluent 70, said the New Zealand dressing room breathed a sigh of relief to watch the back of tormentor Sehwag: "We can go to sleep a bit more relaxed. He played his natural game, and we're glad he is dismissed. Our focus is to get the rest of the batsmen as early as possible," the left-handed batsman said.

Brief scores
New Zealand (first innings) 350 all out. T McIntosh 102, M Guptill 85, J Ryder 70; Zaheer 4-69, Harbhajan
4-76. India (first innings) 178 for two. G Gambhir 54,
V Sehwag 96; T Southee
1-45, D Vettori 1-45

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