The National Times - Sundar bags seven as India bowl out New Zealand for 259

Devon Conway, 76, and Rachin Ravindra, 65, led the New Zealand batting effort after captain Tom Latham won the toss.

Off-spinner Sundar took 7-59 while fellow off-break bowler Ravichandran Ashwin with 3-64 in Pune.

The pitch is expected to turn more as the match progresses as India look to level the three-match series after their opening defeat in Bengaluru.

Conway and fellow left-hander Ravindra put on 62 runs for the third wicket, but Sundar struck on either side of tea.

Sundar, playing in his first Test since January 2021, justified his return with his first five-wicket haul from five appearances.

After removing Tim Southee to bring up his fifth wicket the 25-year-old mopped up the tail in the final session.

His first wicket came when he bowled Ravindra for 65 to break a 59-run fourth-wicket stand with Daryl Mitchell.

Conway reached his 11th Test fifty with a four soon after lunch and put on 62 runs with fellow left-hander Ravindra to thwart the Indian attack.

Ashwin, who took two wickets before lunch, broke through to get Conway caught behind on a delivery that turned from a good length outside the off-stump.

The wicket took Ashwin past Australian spinner Nathan Lyon's 530 wickets to place him seventh in the list of leading Test bowlers.

Skipper Tom Latham and Conway started cautiously, but soon got going with a few boundaries to blunt the opening pace attack of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep.

In the first session, spin was introduced in the eighth over and Ashwin struck on his fifth ball to trap Latham lbw for 15.

The Black Caps won the opener for their first Test victory in India since 1988 and are looking to clinch the three-match series.

The eight-wicket win in Bengaluru was New Zealand's third Test victory in India, but they have never won a series in the country.

F.Morgan--TNT