KANPUR, India (AP) — Shreyas Iyer celebrated his test debut with a century as India reached 339-8 at lunch Friday on the second day of the first cricket test against New Zealand.

Iyer scored 105 runs and held the Indian innings together. He became the 16th Indian batsman to score a hundred on test debut, facing 171 balls with 13 fours and two sixes.

New Zealand countered through Tim Southee (5-69), who picked up his 13th five-wicket haul in tests.

At the break, Ravichandran Ashwin was unbeaten on 38 runs while Umesh Yadav was 4 not out.

Starting from an overnight total of 258-4, India lost Ravindra Jadeja (50) in the third over of the day. He added 121 runs for the fifth wicket with Iyer.

Wriddhiman Saha (1) also went cheaply. Southee had struck twice in the space of six overs as fast bowlers continued to find movement with the new ball.

Iyer helped push the score past 300 and completed his hundred off 157 balls.

On day one, India had opted to bat first. Iyer and Jadeja’s century stand had saved them from a precarious 145-4.

New Zealand won the World Test Championship over India in Southampton, England by eight wickets in June, and this two-test series against India marks the start of its title defense.

India hasn’t lost a home test against New Zealand since 1988.

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