Summary India reached 180-2 at lunch on the fourth day of first Test against New Zealand on Sunday.
AUCKLAND (AFP) - Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli were calmly nibbling into the imposing 407 India need to win the first Test against New Zealand as they reached 180-2 at lunch on the fourth day Sunday.
India added 93 for the loss of one wicket in the morning session, with Dhawan not out 81 and closing in on his second Test century while Kohli was on 55.
New Zealand wanted at least two wickets before lunch to feel they still had some control, but were denied by a stubborn partnership that has so far produced 84 runs.
The one wicket to fall was Cheteshwar Pujara, who looked diligent for nine deliveries before being caught behind off Tim Southee for 23.
Southee produced a testing opening spell, mixing his short and full-length deliveries.
The ball that claimed Pujara landed short, reared up and swung away late to take an outside edge.
But the rest of his morning was a series of fruitless appeals as Dhawan and Kohli kept the scoreboard ticking over at a comfortable rate.
An attempt to trap Kohli with the placement of two short covers came to nothing when the right-hander deftly placed an uppish drive off Neil Wagner between them for four.
Kohli was also harsh on Ish Sodhi -- after intently playing through a maiden when the leg spinner first came on he belted three boundaries in the next over.
Southee has taken both Indian wickets to have figures of two for 29 off 12 overs.
