India have shrugged off the loss of opener Lokesh Rahul to reach 105-1 at lunch on the first day of the first Test against New Zealand.
Unsurprisingly, the only wicket to fall in the first session on Thursday went to a spinner, with Mitchell Santner getting Rahul caught behind after 32.
Murali Vijay (39) and Cheteshwar Pujara (34) will return after the break looking to justify skipper Virat Kohli's decision to bat first at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium, in India's 500th Test.
Rahul's past three innings across all formats had yielded two centuries and a 50, and the right-hander, who was chosen ahead of Shikhar Dhawan, dominated his 42-run stand with fellow opener Vijay.
(Photosport)
The 24-year-old hit four boundaries and a six off Santner before faintly edging to wicketkeeper BJ Watling in the left-arm spinner's second over, and just the 11th of the innings.
Offspinner Mark Craig soon joined him as New Zealand unleashed spin from both ends, even though boundaries kept flowing as Vijay and Pujara drove and cut with ease.
The tourists also picked Ish Sodhi in a three-pronged spin attack, who must deliver as New Zealand face the unenviable prospect of batting last on a pitch that has already seen turn.
Reuters