Ashwin, Ojha help India strengthen their grip over New Zealand, visitors fold up for 159

Ravichandran Ashwin has had to take the rough with the smooth in an emerging Test career that has already witnessed dramatic fortune swings, says a report in The Hindu, adding that he has been destructive at home — the off-spinner scalped 22 batsmen in the three Test series against the West Indies last season — but found the going hard in Australia.

“In the days ahead, Ashwin will face stiffer challenges than this New Zealand line-up but would have relished leading the Indian team back to the dressing room after a stunning haul of six for 31 in the Kiwi first innings in Hyderabad,” says the report, adding that bundled out for 159 and following on 279 runs behind, New Zealand was 41 for one in its second innings when rain ended play at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on Saturday, the third day of the first Test between India and New Zealand.

Meanwhile a report in Hindustan Times says that New Zealand, having resumed at 106/5, folded up for 159, much to the delight of a weekend crowd of 16,000 that had assembled. Only James Franklin, a bowling all-rounder who has turned into a batting all-rounder, showed application to score 43 runs.
“We discussed what we had to do. But it didn't work that way,” said a stone-faced Franklin after the day's play. “There was certainly some bounce but the wicket wasn't aiding a lot of turn.”

"If that was the case, then Pragyan Ojha did really well. Brought in well ahead of Ashwin, he got both drift and turn going. After Doug Bracewell had parried Indian bowlers following the early loss of Kruger Van Wyk's wicket, it was Ojha who provided the breakthrough by beating Bracewell and having him stumped. Ashwin was introduced and he mopped up the tail two minutes before lunch, taking a career-best haul of 6/31," says the report.

According to a report in The DNA, Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha is looking forward to a five-wicket haul on his home ground in Hyderabad in the ongoing first test against New Zealand. Ojha claimed three for 44 and got the only wicket New Zealand lost in their second inning on the third day of the test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium at Uppal in Hyderabad.

"Its a good wicket, especially when you are playing in Hyderabad, growing up here, playing lot of games here. To be very frank, getting a five-wicket haul here could have been special but nevertheless I have the second inning and I am really looking forward doing this," Ojha told reporters.

The spinner said there was some bounce in the wicket and it started turning more in the second inning. "It is a good sign for us. The way things are going we are quite confident that everything will fall into place.