As New Zealand found India in the driver's seat in the first cricket Test early on, Kiwi batsman Jesse Ryder said things may have been different had they not dropped Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid.

"It's always disappointing. You come here and play on their home turf and it's been a long day on the field. It's disappointing to drop those catches. Catches are always vital. If we had taken those, the story might have been different," said Ryder at the end of the day's play during which India rattled up 329 for three.