India reaches 97-2 at lunch against New Zealand

HYDERABAD, India (AP) — Opener Virender Sehwag scored a brisk 47 as India reached 97-2 at lunch after electing to bat on the opening day of the first test against New Zealand on Thursday.

At the break, Cheteshwar Pujara and Sachin Tendulkar were the not out batsmen at 12 each.

Sehwag, who struck nine fours off 41 balls, showed his trademark flourish but could not build on his start, edging a delivery from pace bowler Doug Bracewell to Martin Guptill at second slip.

Sehwag was lucky to get away with two close calls earlier in his innings. On 21, Daniel Flynn ran backwards towards square-leg in a failed attempt to catch a miscued pull off Chris Martin and then on 33, wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk and captain Ross Taylor, at first slip, failed to react and let through an edged four off Bracewell.

Sehwag managed three fours in that over from Bracewell and also once scored four fours off consecutive deliveries he faced from Martin and Bracewell. He hit Martin for two consecutive fours through the off side off the fifth and sixth deliveries of one over and then smashed two more off the fourth and fifth deliveries of the next over from Bracewell.

Earlier, Gautam Gambhir was out for 22 when he edged a delivery from left-arm paceman Trent Boult to van Wyk.

India is playing its first test since the retirements of Rahul Dravid and V.V.S.Laxman, who were batting mainstays for 16 years.

This game is also Sachin Tendulkar's first international outing after becoming a Member of Parliament.

India brought in batsmen Pujara and Suresh Raina, both playing their first test after a year.

The second test will be played in Bangalore from Aug. 31-Sept. 4. The test series will be followed by two Twenty20 games