2nd Test
Day-3 Evening Session Highlights:
Santner has claimed 13 wickets as India has suffered their first home series defeat since 2012
New Zealand scored 259 (1st Innings) and 255 (2nd Innings), where as India scored 156 (1st Innings) and 245 (2nd Innings).
So, finally New Zealand won by 113 runs.
Mitchell Santner (6-104) followed up his career-best figures of 7-53 from the first innings, leading New Zealand to a series-clinching 113-run victory over India in the second Test in Pune.
This defeat marks India’s first home series loss since 2012, ending an impressive streak of 18 consecutive bilateral series victories.
The situation was dire for India at tea on Day 3, needing 181 more runs to stay competitive.
While Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have often rescued India in tough situations at home, this challenge proved too great.
The session started positively for India as Yashasvi Jaiswal (77) aggressively targeted the New Zealand bowlers.
However, Santner quickly turned the tide, dismissing Shubman Gill, who edged to slip, and then trapping Jaiswal with a key wicket.
Jaiswal had reduced his sweeping after lunch, likely due to back pain requiring treatment.
Jaiswal’s dismissal was a significant blow, and the situation worsened when Rishabh Pant was run out after miscommunication with Virat Kohli.
From a strong position at 127/2, India fell to 127/4, losing two crucial left-handers who could have countered Santner’s spin.
India attempted to maintain a left-right batting combination by promoting Washington Sundar to No. 6, but this tactic failed as Santner dismissed Kohli for the second time and later took out Sarfaraz Khan and Sundar.
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin managed to hold on for a while, but the inevitable outcome loomed.
Despite other bowlers being less threatening, Santner effectively exploited the Pune pitch, leaving India in a difficult spot.
New Zealand’s 113-run win was built on their clinical performance with bat and ball.
On a dry, spinning pitch, the toss proved crucial, and Tom Latham’s luck favored him in his first match as full-time captain.
Key contributions from Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65) provided a solid foundation, although New Zealand later collapsed to Washington Sundar (7-59), who took advantage of the conditions.
Conway and Ravindra exhibited composure, especially the latter, who excelled on a challenging surface.
New Zealand aimed for a score between 300-325, but Sundar’s exceptional comeback resulted in the last seven wickets falling for just 62 runs, allowing India to gain momentum after a shaky start.
However, New Zealand bounced back on the second day with a strong performance.
For Santner, this was also a comeback match, having struggled in previous outings.
He sliced through the Indian batting lineup with ease, using his height, trajectory, and variations in pace to devastating effect.
India’s approach against spin was timid in the first innings, leading to a substantial first-innings deficit of 103 runs for New Zealand.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (30) and Shubman Gill (30) got starts, as did Ravindra Jadeja (38), but none could provide the substantial innings needed.
India’s failure to counter Santner effectively meant they were always playing catch-up.
In their second innings, New Zealand opened with intent, led by Latham (86), further extending their lead.
The pressure of maintaining their unbeaten streak at home weighed heavily on India’s spinners, who struggled to find the control that Santner displayed.
Despite Sundar’s timely strikes (4-56), New Zealand finished the second day at 198/5, leading by over 300 runs, making the outcome seem inevitable.
Jadeja found his rhythm in the morning session as New Zealand was quickly bowled out, but chasing 359 on this pitch required a miracle.
While the Indian Test side had produced remarkable comebacks in recent years, this challenge was too steep.
Jaiswal’s explosive innings of 77 offered some hope, but Santner was once again the nemesis, claiming crucial wickets that dashed India’s chances.
Santner, who had never taken a five-wicket haul in First-class cricket before this match, finished with 13 wickets in the game, etching New Zealand’s name in history as the first team to win a series in India in 12 years.
For the second consecutive game, India was outplayed after being bested on a seam-friendly surface in Bengaluru.
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