'New Zealand are clueless; Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant...': Anil ...

After gaining a lead of 356 runs in the first Test against India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Tom Latham-led New Zealand would have been hoping to get the job done in a jiffy to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. However, the reality is quite different as Indian batters, led by Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant, have put on quite a spirited show with the bat in the second innings, and they just trail by 12 runs. Sarfaraz's maiden Test ton has instilled the belief of India pulling an Eden Gardens (2001 Test vs Australia) like escape.

Former India Test captain Anil Kumble criticised the tactics employed by New Zealand in the ongoing second innings. The spinner, who has 619 Test wickets to his name, said that New Zealand did not know how to control the flow of runs on Day 4, and as a result, Team India would now keep hurting them.

"New Zealand are clueless. They came out in the second inning thinking that whatever they did in the first innings would work but things have changed, the pitch has changed, the conditions have changed... In the 70 overs that they have bowled, it didn't look like they have any kind of plan," Anil Kumble said on JioCinema.

"Sarfaraz Khan has hit them in uncanny positions. Even to Rishabh Pant today, they didn't know how to control the flow of runs. If they can't do that, India will keep hurting them. They are still in front but only just. If they don't come up with a way to stop Sarfaraz, India will go up," he added.

Kumble predicts India taking a lead of more than 200 runs

Anil Kumble also made a bold prediction, saying India can easily take a lead of more than 200 runs by the end of Day 4, putting New Zealand under a lot of pressure, considering the pitch is expected to assist the spinners on the final day of the Test match.

"The way things are, India can easily be 200 runs ahead by the end of this day's play then New Zealand will be under a lot of pressure. Because Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwin and Jadeja won't make the same mistakes. They will bowl differently," said Kumble.

The ongoing first Test is moving at a rollicking pace, considering the first day was abandoned due to rain, without a single ball being bowled.

Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant led India's fightback on Day 4, as the duo put on more than 100 runs for the fifth wicket. Sarfaraz Khan scored his maiden ton, while Rishabh Pant registered a well-played fifty.

The play in the first session was cut short due to rain, and early lunch was called by the umpires.