New Zealand have India on the back foot, after winning the toss and bowling first in the first test against India at Wellington's Basin Reserve.
Debutant Kyle Jamieson struck twice in quick succession to have the tourists 79/3 at lunch, grabbing the prized scalp of Indian captain Virat Kohli in his fourth over, caught in the slips by Ross Taylor for just two runs,
Nine balls earlier, the towering Aucklander enticed an edge from Cheteshwar Pujara, also caught behind by wicketkeeper BJ Watling.
Veteran Tim Southee claimed first blood, clean-bowling Indian opener Prithvi Shaw for 16.
After the opening session, Mayank Agarwal had compiled a patient 29 runs off 67 balls, with Ajinkya Rahane on 19, but the former didn't last long into the afternoon, top-edging a Trent Boult delivery to Jamieson on the boundary, as his team fell to 88/4.
Jamieson was back in the wickets in the 42nd over - bowling another peach of a delivery that took the edge of Hanuma Vihari's bat and carried through to BJ Watling for just seven, leaving the visitors at 101/5.
Rain halted play at 122/5 meaning the players took an early tea, that was the last act of the day as the weather set in meaning an early stumps with the Blackcaps on top at the end of day one.
Blackcaps captain Kane Williamson asked India to bat first, with specialist spinner Ajaz Patel, who replaced spin all-rounder Mitch Santner in the squad, edging all-rounder Daryl Mitchell for a spot in the playing line-up.
Mitchell and bowler Matt Henry missed the playing XI, with Henry replacing Neil Wagner in the squad, as the left-armer awaited the birth of his first child. Baby daughter Olivia Faith Wagner arrived on Wednesday night.
Kohli admitted he would also have chosen field first, if he had won the toss, vindicating his rival and friend's decision.
Of course, this match also marks the 100th test for Blackcaps stalwart Taylor, who becomes the fourth NZ player to reach that milestone, while he will also be the first ever to reach the century across tests, one-day and T20 formats.
New Zealand: Tom Blundell, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Ajaz Patel, Trent Boult
India: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravi Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
