Virat Kohli crosses 9,000 runs in Tests as India fight back against New Zealand in Bengaluru

Hosts still trail by 125 runs with seven wickets in hand after Rachin Ravindra ton puts visitors in control of first Test

India's Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring a half-century (50 runs) during the third day of the first Test cricket match between India and New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on October 18, 2024. (Photo by IDREES MOHAMMED / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Virat Kohli scored a fifty but was out on the last ball of the day on Friday. AFP

India's Sarfaraz Khan scored an unbeaten 70 in Bengaluru. AFP

Sarfaraz Khan, right, and Virat Kohli starred in a century stand on Friday. AP

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra smashed a century as the tourists scored 402 in the first innings. AP

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra celebrates with teammate Tim Southee after scoring a century. AFP

Virat Kohli led India's fightback in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru but got out on the last ball of the day after a crucial innings of 70 on Friday.

India reached 231-3 at stumps and still trailed the Black Caps by 125 runs after off-spinner Glenn Phillips got Kohli caught behind.

Kohli, who unsuccessfully reviewed his dismissal, put on a stand of 136 with Sarfaraz Khan, who was still batting on 70.

The two brought India back into the contest after captain Rohit Sharma had fallen for a quick fifty. They helped eliminate a bulk of the deficit after New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra hit 134 to guide the visitors to a massive lead of 356 in the rain-hit opening Test.

Sarfaraz raced to his fifty in 42 balls but the crowd erupted when senior partner Kohli got his half century.

Kohli also went past 9,000 Test runs, becoming only the fourth Indian to reach the landmark after Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Rahul Dravid (13,265) and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122).

However, just as it seemed Kohli and Sarfaraz had taken India to safety, Phillips struck in near darkness on another overcast day.

India started their innings positively with Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Sharma putting on 72 runs.

Jaiswal made 35 before the left-hander danced down the track in his attempt to hit spinner Ajaz Patel and got stumped by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.

Sharma smashed Matt Henry for four, six and four to raise his fifty but soon played a delivery by Patel onto his stumps and was out for 52.

Number three Kohli had a nervy start and got his first runs after 14 balls but eventually found his groove, smashing eight fours and a six.

But the star of the day was Wellington-born Ravindra, who smashed his second Test ton and was the last Kiwi to fall in the tourists' first innings total of 402.

India looked set to dismiss New Zealand cheaply after reducing them to 233-7 early in the morning session. But Ravindra found excellent support in Tim Southee, who hit 65 from just 73 balls with the help of five fours and four sixes.

Ravindra hit 13 fours and four sixes and forged a 137-run partnership with Southee for the eighth wicket, as the pair pushed India, who had been bowled out for a record low score of 46 in the first innings, further on the back foot.

Early in the day, Daryl Mitchell departed for 18, finding Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully with a careless shot against Mohammad Siraj, while Jasprit Bumrah had Blundell (5) caught at slip by KL Rahul.

The introduction of spin caused more problems for the visitors as Ravindra Jadeja (3-72) hit the stumps of Phillips (14) to leave them on 223-6.

Matt Henry (8) perished in a similar manner after smashing a couple of boundaries as Jadeja claimed his third wicket, but New Zealand clawed their way back.

"Important for us to hold our lines and lengths and do that for long periods like Test cricket is," Ravindra said after the day's play.

"The wicket of Virat was very massive and hopefully we stick at it... in the morning."