Having bundled India out for a dismal 46 on Friday, the hosts’ worst ever total at home soil, the tourists proceeded to 180 for three at stumps on the second day of the rain-hit test.
Devon Conway took the attack to the jolted hosts with a bold approach during his 91 on Friday, while Rachin Ravindra had been unbeaten on 22 and Daryl Mitchell 14 not out at stumps.
The crowd had little to celebrate throughout the day until New Zealand's Tom Latham (15) and Will Young (33) departed, with the loudest roar reserved for the wicket of Conway when he was bowled by Ashwin attempting a reverse sweep, having struck 11 fours and three sixes in signs of a return to form.
When play resumed yesterday, after four quiet overs a bogged-down Mitchell attempted to force Mohammed Siraj off the back foot, but could only manage a thick edge to gully, departing for 18.
Tom Blundell’s (5) batting day was also short as Jasprit Bumrah lured him into nibbling a comfortable catch to second slip, leaving New Zealand at 204 for five.
A fidgety Glen Phillips (14) managed a couple of boundaries, but soon played back to a full ball from Ravindra Jadeja which kept a bit low and had a taste of pad before crashing into his stumps.
Matt Henry, at the heady heights of No 8, could also only manage a couple of fours before aiming a heave at Jadeja, missing and hearing the death rattle, which sent him trudging off for 8.
Having lost four for 40, New Zealand had staggered to 233 for seven, and as the chances of them establishing a truly huge lead seemingly faded away, India seemed to be clawing their way back into the game.
But enter Tim Southee.
The former skipper has made a habit of frustrating New Zealand fans with the bat over the years, but here he stepped up, and how.
His series of scoops, shuffles and prods painted a portrait of a man destined to get out at any moment, but somehow not quite managing it.
With the other end finally held up, Ravindra — who had made his way to 42 before Southee arrived — could at last attack.
He went after India’s spinners, peppering the boundary on both sides of the wicket, and the pair’s crucial partnership grew, blunting India’s charge.
A straight six from an increasingly confident Southee off Ashwin bought up New Zealand’s 300, a total that had seemed unlikely an hour before.
Further emboldened, Ravindra clouted Jadeja for a six and four in the next over, then swept Ravi Ashwin to the fence first ball of the next to bring up an outstanding century.
Southee continued to ruin Ashwin’s day with four, six, four to take the tally for the over to 20, and suddenly the Black Caps had scored 48 from 18 deliveries.
Four overthrows and another Southee six — taking him past Virender Sehwag and into sixth place on the all time test sixes list — followed in the next over, the last before lunch, and the Black Caps went to the sheds at 345 for seven, with Ravindra on 104, Southee 49 and their eighth-wicket partnership worth 112 runs in 97 balls.
When play resumed, Southee gloved away a single to bring up his seventh test 50, then carried on his merry way, bashing consecutive fours off Siraj in one over, and swatting him high over the midwicket rope in the bowler’s next.
But Siraj’s next delivery was a wider slower one which his fellow fast bowler could only scoop to cover.
Southee’s enterprising innings was over at 65; a bet placed before this match that the mercurial swiper would outscore the entire opposition by 19 runs in the first innings would surely have paid at extremely long odds.
He and Ravindra had taken their side from an anemic 233 to a robust 370.
Ajaz Patel soon departed lbw to Kuldeep Yadav for 4, but a last flourish from Ravindra took New Zealand past 400.
Immediately afterwards the left-hander went for another big shot off Kuldeep, but could only sky a top edge to stand-in keeper Dhruv Jurel, on the field after a day two knee injury to Rishabh Pant.
Ravindra was last man out for a boundary-laced 134 and New Zealand’s innings ended at 402 — a mammoth lead of 356 runs.
As the ODT went to press last night, India had begun their second innings and reached 47 for no loss after 12 overs.
Black Caps v India
India 1st innings 46
New Zealand
T Latham (c) lbw b Kuldeep 15
D Conway b Ashwin 91
W Young c Kuldeep b Jadeja 33
R Ravindra c sub b Kuldeep 134
D Mitchell c Jaiswal b Siraj 18
T Blundell † c Rahul b Bumrah 5
G Phillips b Jadeja 14
M Henry b Jadeja 8
T Southee c Jadeja b Siraj 65
A Patel lbw b Kuldeep 4
W O’Rourke not out 0
Extras (8b, 4lb, 1nb, 2wd):15
Total (91.3 overs) 402
Fall: 67-1, 142-2, 154-3, 193-4, 204-5, 223-6, 233-7, 370-8, 384-9, 402-10.
Bowling: J Bumrah 19 overs 7 maidens 41 runs 1 wicket (1nb), M Siraj 18-2-84-2, R Ashwin 16-1-94-1, Kuldeep Yadav 18.3-1-99-3, R Jadeja 20-1-72-3.
New Zealand lead by 356 runs
— additional reporting Reuters
— Ben Allan
