Beware the Mighty Beast of Test Cricket

India flirted perilously close to its lowest Test total but missing it by ten runs is not any kind of landmark. To score 30 less than the lowest ever scored at home during our most successful Test era is a big disappointment.

Three days ago, Gautam Gambhir mentioned that if his team can play the natural game and score 400-500 runs in a day, they will play that way - high-risk, high-reward. However, today was not peachy as they could have been bundled up for 100. The day before the game, BCCI celebrated the fact that New Zealand had not won a Test in India for 35 years.

Messing about with Test cricket is not a good idea. Kanpur may have been wacko and mad leading to headlines of 'India rescues Test cricket', but what happens there should stay there. Moving to Bangalore saw a day of two halves, reminiscent of Nottingham and Kotla, with confusion all around.

As the Indian innings imploded, the batting order resembled scrambled eggs, with wickets falling and curious shot selections. Every New Zealand run hurt, highlighting India's missed opportunities. Sunil Gavaskar's mantra of giving the first session to bowlers is echoed like a prayer in the stands.

The day continued with missed chances, dropped catches, and Rishabh Pant hobbling off in pain. The focus shifts to permutations and combinations to save the game, with hopes dwindling but dreams of Indian cricket fans never ending.

If New Zealand don't seize the chance to win this Test, it may be another 35 years before the next opportunity arises. Lalith predicts rank turners for the next two Tests, with hopes of India winning 2-1 and everyone forgetting the current collapse.

Gambhir's words from 2012 about making turners when teams come to India resurface, raising bets on Pune and Mumbai's pitches.