India lose openers after brisk start in N.Z. Test

India, needing 261 runs to win, lost free-scoring Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir as they reached 88-2 at lunch on the penultimate day of the second and final Test against New Zealand on Monday. The hosts made an explosive start as Sehwag (38) and Gambhir (34) added 77 runs off just 11.5 overs for the opening wicket, but New Zealand struck back with two wickets in the space of six runs. Cheteshwar Pujara was unbeaten on 10 at the break with Sachin Tendulkar, who had yet to open his account. New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor pressed off-spinner Jeetan Patel into the attack in the 12th over after pacemen Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell had failed to trouble the Indian openers. Sehwag lofted Patel over long-off, the first six of the innings, and then cut him for a four before falling in the same over. He stepped out to try another big shot, but missed the line and was bowled. He smashed one six and seven fours in his brisk 33-ball knock. Gambhir went for his shots early in the innings, hitting Boult and Bracewell each for two successive fours before falling to a loose shot. He was caught by Taylor at first slip off Boult after hitting seven fours in his 58-ball knock. Brendon McCullum kept wicket for New Zealand in place of Kruger van Wyk, who was injured after being struck on the arm by a delivery from paceman Umesh Yadav while batting on Sunday. New Zealand were earlier bowled out for 248 in their second innings, adding 16 runs to their overnight total of 232-9. Patel (22), the last man out, looked unhappy with the decision when given caught behind off left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 5-69, while fast bowler Umesh Yadav and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha each bagged two wickets.