Venkatsai Laxman and Harbhajan Singh scored unbeaten half-centuries to pull India out of trouble on the fifth and final day of the first Test against New Zealand on Monday.
Venkatsai Laxman and Harbhajan Singh scored unbeaten half-centuries to pull India out of trouble on the fifth and final day of the first Test against New Zealand on Monday.
The duo shared 99 runs for the seventh wicket to lift the hosts from a precarious 65-6 and take the overall lead to 192 with two sessions of play remaining in the match at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.
At lunch, India were 164-6, with Laxman batting on 65 and Harbhajan on 60.
Laxman, 36, showed remarkable poise during his 268-minute stay at the wicket, hitting five fours in his 198-ball knock.
Harbhajan carried on with the form he showed in making a career-best 69 in India's first-innings 487, driving Chris Martin (5-48) and Daniel Vettori for fours to belie any signs of pressure.
The tailender had so far hit a six and six fours in his 102-ball innings.
Laxman, whose unbeaten 73 helped India defeat Australia in Mohali Test last month, swept off-spinner Jeetan Patel for a four to complete his 47th half-century.
Harbhajan and Laxman denied a depleted New Zealand attack any success in the morning session after Martin had ripped through the Indian top-order Sunday with his ninth five-wicket haul in Tests.
The pair started out cautiously but opened up later to play some aggressive shots on either side of the wicket, the highlight being a power-packed boundary by Harbhajan that flew over Martin's head.
The Kiwis, laid low by injuries to fast bowler Hamish Bennett (groin) and medium-pacer Jesse Ryder (calf), had made 459 in their first knock.
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