There must have been something in the air

Five days of worrying about how bad the Kanpur smog may be for the health of the Black Caps, and in the end it helped kill off India’s chance of victory.

Such a wonderfully poetic finish to an intriguing test played in the most prosaic of surroundings would have added extra cheer for New Zealand cricket fans who blearily woke yesterday with fewer fingernails but more admiration for the world test champions.

Kane Williamson played down the effects of the smog, but he’s so phlegmatic he’d likely play down an invitation to become Prime Minister.

The Air Quality Index said otherwise, rating most days of the test as ‘hazardous’ and akin to smoking five cigarettes a day.

The delight of a draw is almost solely the domain of test cricket. Its only rival is football, where coming from 3-0 down in the second half to level, or as an underdog reduced unfairly to 10 men to deny the favourites a win via dogged, heroic defending, is a joyful experience.

The latter was akin to New Zealand’s first test draw at Kanpur, which gave them four points in their first match of the new World Test Championship campaign that may be vital in the defence of their crown.

To stave off India’s expected charge to victory on the final day courtesy of their fearsome threepronged spin attack was mostly down to the skill and application of a number of players, beginning with Tom Latham and Will Somerville and ending with Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel.

Bar Latham, that’s an unlikely quartet of key performers with the bat, which gave an extra twist to the final day’s drama.

Such is the power of recency bias that even as the umpires checked their light meters with all the urgency of a teen with their phone at dinner time, Somerville’s contribution with the bat may have already been undervalued.

The epitome of a journeyman cricketer, the 37-year-old offspinner couldn’t take a wicket in either innings, as his opposite, Ravichandran Ashwin, captured six to take his test haul to 419, making him India’s third-most prolific test wicket-taker.

But employed late on day four to protect Williamson, Somerville batted for the entire first session on the final day with aplomb rarely seen from a No 10 and highlighted the beauty of the four-innings game and the duality of roles in test cricket that offers every chance for a matchchanging contribution.

It was unmissable that the last pair at the wicket for the Black Caps have deep Indian links – Patel was born there, as were Ravindra’s parents – and while the game in New Zealand continues to struggle to expand its appeal and participation with the Ma¯ ori and Pasifika community, it is increasingly enriched by arrivals from the Asian subcontinent.

India’s decision to leave several star players sidelined with an eye to a tour of South Africa that is now in doubt due to the latest pandemic developments did allow debutant batter Shreyas Iyer to star with a century and a fifty, but the absences of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami hurt them.

Whereas Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson took 14 wickets between them, Ishant Sharma was wicket-less and fellow paceman Umesh Yadav had two victims.

New Zealand’s harshest critics may have baulked at the tourists not having more of an eye on potential victory, but that approach was unrealistic in alignment with conditions and history and more in keeping with how expectations around this side over recent years have risen to near unimagined heights.

It was unmissable that the last pair at the wicket for the Black Caps have deep Indian links.

Rachin Ravindra has described helping New Zealand to a gritty draw in India on test debut as ‘‘the stuff of dreams’’. The 22-year-old and No 11 Ajaz Patel bravely batted for 8.4 overs after the fall of the ninth wicket to deny India victory in the first test at Kanpur.

Ravindra, who became the

282nd test cricketer in New Zealand history, was stoic against India’s outstanding spinners on a deteriorating day five wicket in fading light. New Zealand finished

165-9 with India unable to claim the last wicket required for victory with bad light ending the game 12 minutes early.

Born in Wellington to Indian parents, it was a momentous start to test cricket for Ravindra and a day he would cherish forever.

‘‘It was a pretty incredible moment, taking in the crowd and how loud they were and all the fielders around the bat. It’s the kind of stuff you dream about as a kid. You watch test matches like that and that’s where your heroes and your idols are made.

‘‘It’s the stuff of dreams being able to take in the crowd.’’

Despite his age and lack of international experience, Ravindra was a calm head on young shoulders, refusing to get rattled by the pressure. He made sure he didn’t look at the scoreboard or clock at the ground and instead concentrated on the task at hand.

Having Patel at the other end, whom he had known for five years and had helped him with his left-arm spin bowling, was extra special.

Patel also has Indian heritage, being born in Mumbai and moving to New Zealand with his family when he was eight.

‘‘I’ve played my first winter squad game and played my first first-class game with him in the team, it was just cool to have him there and talk about things and lean on each other. Since he’s a mentor for me, especially for bowling, he’s helped me a lot and being able to share that moment with him was amazing.’’

Former India pace bowler Javagal Srinath was match referee for the test and is a close friend of the Ravindra family. Ravindra’s father Ravi Krishnamurthy played cricket with Srinath in Bengaluru in his playing days.

‘‘Dad is quite good mates with him. We still keep in touch with him now, and every time I go to India I go to his house and say hi,’’ Ravindra previously said.

Ravindra had briefly spoken to parents Ravi and Deepa who had watched nervously from Wellington. They had been quick to remind him to not look too far ahead.

‘‘They’re obviously really proud. They were trying to say to me stay level, which is a nice little reminder, but obviously I wouldn’t be where I am today without their sacrifices, without everything they’ve done for me.