NEW DELHI: The first India vs New Zealand The Test in Bengaluru started dramatically as the hosts got off to a difficult start – losing captain Rohit Sharma, star Virat Kohli and a returning Sarfaraz Khan cheaply in the first hour of the morning session on the second day.
After the entire opening day of the first Test was washed out due to rain, India won the toss and surprisingly chose to bat in overcast skies against a strong Kiwi pace attack.
And the decision quickly backfired on India as Rohit was bowled out for just two runs in the seventh over after an alert start. As Rohit tried to top the ball, he missed an incoming throw from Tim Southee, causing the ball to crash into his stumps.
Soon after Rohit's departure, India suffered the Kohli blow when the star batter perished for a nine-ball duck.
In the absence of the injured Shubman Gill, Kohli was slotted at number 3 but his stay in the middle was short-lived as he was caught by Glenn Phillips at the leg gully of William ORourke.
Interestingly, Kohli's last duck in a Test match also came against the Kiwis on their last tour, where he failed to score at the Wankhede in Mumbai.
India's next shock came in the very next over when the returning Sarfaraz played a poor shot and Devon Conway was caught at extra cover off Matt Henry. When Sarfaraz tried to fend off a long ball from Henry, he hit the bottom edge and the ball flew upwards. Conway then dove to his right for a stunning catch.

With Conway's sharp shot, Sarfaraz went off for a three-ball duck.
After Sarfaraz's dismissal, India were reeling at 10 for 3 in the 10th over on the second day.
It was the first time since the 2010 Ahmedabad Test against New Zealand that India had lost more than 3 wickets for 10 runs or less at home.
A few overs later the rain returned as play was suspended and India's score was 13 for 3 in 12.4 overs