Wellington: Kane Williamson stationed three short covers for Cheteshwar Pujara. Trent Boult changed his mode of attack from over the wicket to round, thrice in the space of six balls and for Prithvi Shaw, the Kiwis had a man at unorthodox leg-gully. These may have been examples of peculiar tactics but New Zealand applied them perfectly to pick four key Indian wickets on Day Three of the first Test here on Sunday.

At stumps, India still trailed New Zealand by 39 runs with six wickets in hand. Day Three will be remembered for the strategic choke applied by the New Zealand bowlers with all four Indian batsmen falling to the round-the-wicket line of attack. The Basin Reserve surface had lost its zip, it was slow and not conducive for stroke-making. Apart from the odd delivery that lifted sharply, there was nothing in it for the bowlers, so one had to be creative to pick up wickets.