Slow-death rattle

The Kiwi pacers enjoyed the conditions too,after a brief delay at the start of play,with the second new-ball in tow. They even managed to keep the overnight pair of Cheteshwar Pujara,who eventually finished at 159,and Mahendra Singh Dhoni quiet briefly.

But the home-feel was to evaporate very quickly. The visitors bowled out India for 438,not allowing the tail to wag for too long. That off-spinner Jeetan Patel did the most damage should have been taken as an ominous sign.

The dark clouds continued to linger,but the pitch underneath had begun to show its true colours.

The bounce was no longer even,and as Pragyan Ojha showed in his very first over,there were enough threats in the wicket. And significant ones especially for a spin-impaired Kiwi batting line-up.

New Zealand were once again found wanting as the peril turned into disaster in a space of 10 overs,with their top-order being consumed by the spin-duo of Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin. While the rest of his teammates cooled their heels following a gruelling practice session,Daniel Flynn had spent an additional half-hour tuning up his sweeping skills on the eve of the match. The stocky left-hander,like many before him,seemed to have identified this to be his major weapon against the hosts spin threat on what is a maiden tour of India.

Sweeping failure

On Friday,Flynn walked into bat at No.5 and didnt have to wait too long to encounter his fear factor. Ojha and Ashwin were upon him straight up and having packed off the three most experienced batsmen in the Kiwi line-up had their tails up.

Flynn connected thrice with well-timed sweep shots,one even fetching him a boundary off Ojha. He wasnt so lucky the fourth time around. The ball was too full. The diminutive Kiwi had picked the wrong length and Ashwin had got him lbw.

The error was subtle but Flynn had to pay the ultimate price. Just like in the cases of Martin Guptill and skipper Ross Taylor before him.

Guptill had jabbed at Ashwins first delivery of the innings,only to be caught off the inside-edge by Virat Kohli at backward short-leg. It was an identical blunder that cost Taylor his wicket,only that the third-umpire had to be roped in for the final decision one that left the peeved Kiwi coach flailing his arms in disgust.

Kane Williamson did provide some resistance with a solid 32. But one indiscretion,an audacious swipe was enough to end his vigil,leaving the Kiwis tottering at 106 for 5 at close of play. Without much fuss,Ojha and Ashwin had unleashed hell on the visitors.

While elsewhere many had begun writing epitaphs of Indian crickets heydays,there was but a brief period of joy for Dhonis team sandwiched between the disasters in England and Australia. The much-publicized bare spin cupboard had even raised doubts over Indias dominance at home.

But against the West Indies at home last November,Ojha and Ashwin had at least provided something to cheer about by sharing 42 wickets in three Tests. The opposition might not have been too intimidating. But the duo had shown glimpses that visiting teams will still have to overcome the traditional inquisition against spin to taste success on Indian soil.

And they followed it up with an impressive showing against the hapless Kiwis in Hyderabad.

With New Zealand having lived up to their unenviable reputation,Dhoni rubbed it in by using five spinners against them,including an over from Sachin Tendulkar.

The pitch will only get tougher,and the challenges trickier for the visitors from hereon. The only saving grace would be the forecast for more home-like conditions over the next three days.