Shreyas Iyer, India
Shreyas Iyer. Credits: Twitter

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer said that India can win the first Test with its formidable spin attack.

Iyer, who scored a century in his debut innings, once again top-scored for India with 65 runs from 125 balls.

Iyer joined forces with wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha (61*) in a 64-run stand before his innings was perished by Tim Southee.

We needed to get to a competitive total: Shreyas Iyer

All-rounder Axar Patel scored an unbeaten 28 as India declared at 234 for seven as the hosts set the Black Caps for a target of 284.

Iyer said there wasn’t much happening on the pitch and that’s why they had to declare after posting a competitive score.

To be honest, there wasn’t much happening on the wicket. We needed to get to a competitive total, maybe around 275-280,” Iyer said at the end of the day’s play.

Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer. Credits: BCCI

“The talk was to get to a competitive total and I feel that it’s a really good total. We have real spin power, so hopefully, we can get the job done tomorrow. We have spin power,” he added.

We have to have faith in our spinners: Shreyas Iyer

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin got the wicket of Will Young to get the first wicket of New Zealand in their chase. New Zealand needs 280 runs more to win the first Test.

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Iyer said that anything more than 250 was enough for the team to win given the quality of spinners they have.

We have to have faith in our spinners and know they can really put them under pressure on the final day,” Iyer said.

Axar Patel and KS Bharat
Axar Patel and KS Bharat celebrate Tom Latham’s wicket. Image-Twitter

“I thought 250-odd including the lead was more than enough on this wicket, and fortunately we got some more,” he added.

Iyer became the first Indian player to score a hundred and a fifty on his debut match in Test cricket.

Former Indian player Sunil Gavaskar is the only other batter to score fifty-plus scores in both innings on debut.

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