Kane Williamson puts New Zealand in command

New Zealand's captain, Kane Williamson, led from the front with an unbeaten 115-ball 65 in New Zealand's first innings that helped his side cruise to a commanding 152 for 1 in reply to India's 318 in the first Test in Kanpur on Friday.

India began the second day on 291 for 9, with Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav at the crease. Jadeja thumped six boundaries from the first six overs, before Yadav fell in the seventh over of the morning and ended India's innings for 318.

Tom Latham and Martin Guptill kept India's seamers at bay for ten overs and added 35 before Guptill fell. India hoped to add to their tally, but Williamson and Latham dropped anchor.

The duo looked mostly untroubled against India's spinners - Jadeja and R Ashwin - Williamson stayed back as much as possible and milked the slowness Kanpur surface to his advantage.

He regularly resorted to the sweep and played only at balls that were going down the leg side or, more commonly, getting his front leg a long way across to balls pitching outside off - effectively negating lbw - and lapping or paddling behind square.

The Williamson-Latham combine took just 39.5 overs to add a 100 runs between them. When rain arrived - on the stroke of tea and ended the day's play - New Zealand, trailed India by 166 runs, with Williamson batting on a 115-ball 65 and Latham on 56 from 137 balls.