New Zealand etched their name in cricket history on Saturday with a remarkable 113-run victory over India in the second Test at the MCA Stadium in Pune, clinching a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. This achievement marks New Zealand’s first Test series win in India in 69 years, breaking a streak that dates back to their inaugural Test match on Indian soil in 1955. The victory also ended India’s impressive 12-year unbeaten run in home Test series.
India last lost a Test series at home in December 2012, when England led by Alastair Cook took the series 2-1. Since then, India had maintained a flawless record with 18 consecutive home Test series wins, a stretch spanning 4,331 days. This unbeaten run stands as one of the most dominant in cricket history, with Australia holding the second-best streak at 10 consecutive home series wins.
Santner Spins New Zealand to Victory
New Zealand’s triumph was fueled by the outstanding performance of left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who exposed the Indian batting lineup’s struggles against spin. Santner took 13 wickets in the match, dismantling India’s batting order and guiding his team to a maiden Test series win in India.
After claiming seven wickets in India’s first innings, Santner took six more in the second as India’s chase fell short. Chasing a daunting target of 359, India managed just 245 runs in 60.2 overs, with only Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja showing resistance with scores of 77 and 42 respectively.
Since the 2012 home Test series defeat against England, , India have played 18 Test series and have won all of them. In those 18 series, India have won 42 Tests, drawing 7, and losing just 5 Tests.
Key Indian Players Struggle
India’s experienced batsmen struggled to make an impact, with captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli dismissed for 8 and 17 runs, respectively, both falling to Santner’s precise spin attack. Rishabh Pant’s unfortunate run-out for a duck following a mix-up with Kohli at 127/3 added to India’s woes, as Santner’s relentless bowling dismantled their lineup.
Santner completed the innings with figures of 6/104, while Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips contributed with two and one wickets, respectively.
Day 3 Highlights
The third day of the second Test began with New Zealand holding a 301-run lead and at 198/5. Ravindra Jadeja delivered a strong performance for India, taking three wickets in the morning session to restrict New Zealand’s lead, but it was not enough to prevent a historic series loss for India on home soil.
