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New Zealand v India: Hosts Win Thrilling First Test In Auckland

New Zealand edged to a 40-run victory over India in the first Test after a tense finish in Auckland on Sunday.The Black Caps bowled India out for 366, short of their 407 target, after they resumed at 87-1 on day four.New Zealand v India

India briefly looked on course for an unlikely victory thanks to Shikhar Dhawan (115), Virat Kohli (67) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (39 off 41).

But Dhoni’s controversial dismissal by Neil Wagner left India 362-9 and the Test was over three balls later.

The India captain played a short ball on to his stumps but was told to wait as umpires checked for a no-ball.

Video replays appeared to show Wagner’s back foot touching the side crease at one point, which is a no-ball infringement, but Dhoni was eventually given out.

India faced an uphill battle to get back into the Test after New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum’s man-of-the-match 224 helped the hosts to a 301-run first-innings lead.

But the tourists made a fist of it by dismissing New Zealand for 105 in their second innings on day three and making a solid start in their quest to record the third-highest successful run-chase in Test history.

However, day four did not start well for India, as Cheteshwar Pujara (23) edged a Southee delivery and wicketkeeper BJ Watling took the second of his six second-innings catches.

Kohli and Dahwan put on 126 for the third wicket but both were caught by Watling off the bowling of Wagner, who finished with 4-62 in the innings and eight wickets in the match.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and when Zaheer Khan (17) fell, India were 349-8 and Dhoni’s dismissal all-but ended the contest.

The Test was over three balls later when Ishant Sharma (4) edged Boult through to Watling to put the hosts 1-0 up in the two-match series.

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