1st Test: Half-centurion Shubman Gill, steady Pujara take India to 82/1 before lunch

Team India opener Shubman Gill slammed his fourth half-century in Test matches as the hosts got off to a decent start after winning the toss in the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur on Thursday, November 25. Stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and chose to bat first on a good batting surface.

FIFTY!

A well made half-century for @ShubmanGill off 81 deliveries. This is his 4th in Test cricket 

Live - https://t.co/WRsJCUhS2d #INDvNZ @Paytm pic.twitter.com/dtergTWr9b

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 25, 2021

Openers Gill and Mayank Agarwal had to counter the swing early on from the New Zealand pacers. While they managed to get through the first half an hour, the latter, who looked tentative against the moving delivery was dismissed by the tall Kyle Jamieson for just 13 as the visitors got an early breakthrough.

New Zealand introduced spinner Ajaz Patel early and even though Jamieson was asking some questions from the end, Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara were able to negotiate the first hour.

Gill played some lovely drives off the back foot on both off and the leg side. His short-arm jabs and punches were a thing of beauty as he focussed on scoring while Pujara was solid and patient as always.

Gill brought up his half-century, second on the home soil as his innings gave India an early advantage after choosing to bat first.

The hosts ended the first session in a good position at 82/1, with Gill unbeaten on 51 and Pujara with 15*.