IND VS NZ 1ST TEST

So, that is it from the first Test! It went down to the wire. In the end, there was no result possible and that was probably the right result. The action now moves to Mumbai for the second and the final Test. That game begins on the 3rd of December, it starts at 9:30 am local (4 am GMT). Till then, take care and goodbye!

Shreyas Iyer is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH! He says that if they had won the game, it would have been icing on the cake. Adds that his mindset was to face as many deliveries as possible and the situation demanded that he curb his attacking instincts. Credits Ashwin and Saha for the way they batted and that he is proud of getting out of a difficult situation to put a big total for New Zealand to chase. Mentions that New Zealand got off to a great start on Day 5 but once they got a sniff, the bowlers decided to attack.

The Indian skipper, Ajinkya Rahane, says they tried their best, it was a good game, New Zealand played well. Adds he is proud of how they came back in the second innings, especially the pacers, they bowled really well. Mentions they were looking to bowl 5 to 6 overs on Day 4, they needed that partnership between Saha and Axar as they lost a lot of wickets at the start. Adds the conversation with the umpires was about the lights and he feels the call made by the umpires was right. States he felt the spinners had a key role to play on this wicket and it was all about rotating the bowlers and they bowled really well. Credits Iyer for the way he played and he is really happy for him.

Kane Williamson, the skipper of New Zealand, says that with the light it has been touch and go throughout the game. Adds that his team hung in there and did not give up. Says that all three results were possible on the final day and India have a great bowling attack but his team hung in there. Adds that players like William Somerville and Rachin Ravindra had a great experience in this game. Mentions that the two pacers who played were outstanding and the batters too adjusted really well against the Indian attack. Says that it was a great experience and the batters would look to make more adjustments moving forward in the series.

Stay tuned for the presentation.

Ravichandran Ashwin says they were keeping things under control and were bowling in good areas, they knew if they got time, they would cause problems but the light was going to be an issue and they knew it. States Test cricket is really hard, you need to want it, there is a lot of hard work and he enjoys the format. States the runs, the wickets won't really matter, it is the memories that will and he wants to take some good memories. Adds the wicket was good and it played well, Ravindra played really well and so did Ajaz Patel and he hopes people enjoyed the game.

Entering Day 5, an Indian win looked most likely. The Kiwis too knew it was going to be an uphill task to chase this down. Their approach was to save the Test throughout the day and they managed to do by just. A hard-fought draw and probably the right result to a game that was a spectacle.

India had a decent lead of 49 runs but their second innings did not start as per plan and they found themselves at 51 for 5. But it was Shreyas Iyer once again who saved the team. He scored a fifty and bailed them out. Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Wriddhiman Saha, who also scored a fifty made sure that New Zealand had a pretty huge total to chase down in just over a day.

New Zealand started their reply brilliantly though. Will Young and Tom Latham were superb with their opening stand and both scored their fifties. They were unfortunate to miss out on their tons, but it was due to their efforts that New Zealand got close to India's total as the middle order did not contribute much. It was no surprise that the Indian spinners ruled the roost as they shared 9 wickets between them with Axar Patel getting a 5-wicket haul.

Earlier in the game, it was Shreyas Iyer who was the hero for India in the first innings. The rest of the batters did get starts but it was Iyer who bailed them out from a tough situation and got them to a respectable score. As far as the bowling is concerned, Tim Southee was the start as he took a 5-wicket haul and demolished the Indian middle order early on Day 2.

But the Indian spinners ruled the roost post Tea. Axar Patel started things off by taking the wicket of Henry Nicholls and that triggered a collapse. Ravindra Jadeja was the main bowler in the last session though as his 3 wickets in that session put India just 1 wicket away from a memorable victory. But nature had different plans and bad light denied them a victory.

The Kiwis did lose Will Young in their chase but William Somerville and Tom Latham were very impressive with the way they batted. New Zealand did not lose a single wicket in the first session of Day 5 and there would have been plenty of nerves in the Indian camp. But after Lunch, things turned around. Somerville fell and Latham too had to walk back to the hut. They received another big blow in the form of Ross Taylor just before Tea and Kane Williamson was the lone man standing.

Phew, what a finish! What a finish! New Zealand have saved the Test by the barest of margins here. It looked like India would seal this one but the light hasn't worked in their favour. Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel would have had their hearts in the mouth in the last half hour of play but they have managed to save this Test!

Stopped for bad light! Not called off yet. Not called off. But we have stopped for bad light. If the light improves, we can resume again. There are handshakes in the New Zealand camp already but there are another 11 minutes of play possible though! Well, well, I think they are calling it off! YUP, PLAY CALLED OFF! Kane Williamson walks out with his side and there are handshakes all around! What a nail-biting finish! THE FIRST TEST ENDS IN A DRAW!

Patel has negotitaed the six balls well! This lands on off and turns back in. Defended.

Rahane has a word with Jadeja before the final ball.

Changes to over the wicket and fires it on off, Patel does manage to keep it out.

From around the wicket now, lands it on middle, gets it to hold its line. Defended.

On middle, blocked. Slightly fuller and it is negotiated well.