Virender Sehwag (38) and Gautam Gambhir (34) plundered the Kiwi attack to give a perfect start to India's chase with their entertaining stand of 77 in under 12 overs.
While Sehwag was out bowled by Jeetan Patel, Gautam Gambhir was dismissed by Trent Boult.
At lunch, Cheteshwar Pujara and Sachin Tendulkar were batting on 10 and 0 respectively.
Among the two openers, Gambhir looked more attacking and scored freely off Kiwi pacers, who had tormented the top order in India's first innings. Sehwag too chipped in with some lovely strokes to the fence.
The pair overcame the drought of not scripting a half century partnership in the last 11 innings when Gambhir exquisitely punched Doug Bracewell to deep extra cover fence for a boundary.
The New Zealand pacers, who bowled their heart out in the Indian first innings, did not impress much in the morning as they were too excited with the new ball in their hands.
They experimented far too many things, pitching up to the wickets and hurling some short stuff, which prompted the openers to play their natural game.
