On debut, Iyer shows the way as India score 258/4
Deccan ChronicleKanpur: Debutant Shreyas Iyer was guts, aggression and flair rolled into one during an unbeaten knock of 75, which was nothing short of a baptism by fire, as India ended on 258 for four on the first day of the opening Test against New Zealand here on Thursday. On a pitch that had variable bounce and didn't offer enough pace off it, Iyer put his best foot forward while facing 136 balls, hitting seven boundaries and two sixes on his very first day in office in the longest format. Coming in at 106 for 3 at the fall of Cheteshwar Pujara's wicket, the debutant, in another half an hour, found his skipper Ajinkya Rahane's promising knock come to a halt as Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee rocked the middle-order in inspiring post-lunch spells. He might not be of Viswanath's class but from Thursday onwards, Green Park will also remember Iyer for once again proving the old concrete jungle saying: "A good player, is a good player, is a good player." If Iyer's debut innings was the brightest spot, comeback man Gill's taking the attack back to the opposition camp in the first session couldn't be seen in isolation either.