Jesse Ryder marked his return to Test cricket with a defiant century as New Zealand staged a spirited fightback to keep themselves afloat in the first cricket Test against India here today.
The burly Ryder scored 103 before being dismissed in the last over while debutant Kane Williamson scored an unbeaten 87 as the Kiwis clawed their way into the game to reach a comfortable 331 for five at close on the third day, still trailing the hosts by 156 runs.
The visitors were struggling at 137 for four at one stage with the dismissals of the well-set Brendon McCullum (65) and Ross Taylor (56) in quick succession but Ryder and Williamson put on a record 194-run fifth wicket partnership to frustrate the Indians.
The duo eclipsed the previous record of 142 estblished by Ross Taylor and James Franklin in Wellington in 2009.
The 26-year-old Ryder, playing a Test match after a gap of 14 months, completed his third Test ton in the last over of the day with a fluent drive through covers but perished in the same offer with Sreesanth trapping his leg before wicket.
The New Zealanders not only managed to avoid the follow on but also put themselves on course for matching India's first innings total on a Sardar Patel track which offered little assistance to the bowlers.
It turned out to be a disapointing day for the Indians who could manage to take just take three wickets in the three sessions to allow the Kiwis to bounce back to a great extent.
Rahul Dravid grassed a simple catch at first slip early when Ryder was on 11 to compound India's misery.
It was a valiant fightback by Ryder and Williamson who showed great temparament anc composure to keep the Indian bowlers at bay and steer their team to a relatively safer position.
With two days left in the match, the Indians will now have ensure an early end to New Zealand's first inninings if they want to push for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Earlier in the morning, both the overnight batsmen McCullum (65) and Taylor (56) started confidently and completed their half-centuries before gifting their wickets to the hosts.
McCullum and Taylor negotiated the Indian pacers and spinners well for about 17 overs in the morning session before Harbhajan Singh broke the 104-run third-wicket stand.
