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The second morning of the first Test between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru saw a complete shift in momentum, with New Zealand's fast bowlers running rampant and leaving the Indian batting lineup in disarray. After a rain-affected first day, the conditions on the second morning proved to be ideal for seam bowling, with the damp surface offering extravagant seam movement and swing for the visitors.
William O'Rourke and Matt Henry were the architects of India's downfall, taking early wickets and putting the hosts on the back foot from the very beginning. Henry, alongside the experienced Tim Southee, kept India's openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal on a tight leash, exploiting the conditions to great effect. Southee broke through first, dismissing Rohit with a nip-backer that beat the Indian captain's inside edge and castled his stumps. This dismissal was a sign of frustration for Rohit, who tried to unsettle Southee by charging down the pitch, only to find himself back in the pavilion.
O'Rourke, who impressed on the recent tour of Sri Lanka, then made his mark with a massive strike in his very first over. The tall pacer generated high speed and produced a nip-backer that reared up disconcertingly on Virat Kohli, who was unable to fend it off, resulting in a low catch to Glenn Phillips at leg gully. India was now in deep trouble at 10/3 after losing three of their top batters for ducks.
The catching for New Zealand continued to be exceptional as Devon Conway plucked a one-handed stunner at mid-off to dismiss a nervous Sarfaraz Khan for a duck, leaving India in a precarious position at 10/3. The wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant then came in ahead of KL Rahul, possibly as a counterattacking option to combat New Zealand's relentless bowling. Pant attempted to take the attack to the bowlers, even trying a reverse sweep, and was nearly caught by Tom Blundell behind the stumps. Rain briefly interrupted the proceedings, but when play resumed, the surface had become even more conducive to bowling. Ajaz Patel, with a magical bit of fielding at backward point, ended Jaiswal's resistance just before lunch.
The tourists' momentum continued after the break, with two more Indian batters falling for ducks. Rahul was trapped leg-before by O'Rourke, who bowled a well-set leg trap, while Ravindra Jadeja's lazy flick resulted in a big leading edge that Ajaz pouched at backward point. With four of their top seven batters dismissed for ducks, India's hopes of salvaging a respectable first innings total now rested heavily on Rishabh Pant and the lower order. India's batting collapse, coupled with New Zealand's brilliant bowling performance, painted a clear picture: it was a good toss to lose for New Zealand, given the bowler-friendly conditions in Bengaluru.