As the dust begins to settle on an enthralling Test series in Pune, India and New Zealand are left to grapple with the sheer magnitude of recent events on the cricketing field. The termination of India’s formidable winning streak at home, a record that has stood unscathed since 1955, has left many in cricketing circles astounded and searching for answers. The feat was accomplished by a New Zealand team that, against the odds, matched its total number of series victories from the past 12 outings in just this one remarkable series.
The backdrop to this historic achievement was one of significant adversity for New Zealand. The team was coping with a change in leadership following a 0-2 series loss to Sri Lanka and a substantial setback due to the absence of their talismanic batter, Kane Williamson, due to injury. Furthermore, they faced an Indian squad that was sitting proudly atop the World Test Championship (WTC) standings and was in pursuit of a grand aim: securing a third consecutive appearance in the final of the prestigious tournament.
To those who catalogue cricketing upsets, this victory would challenge for preeminence on the list of surprising outcomes. New Zealand captain Tom Latham captured the prevailing sentiment post-victory when he struggled to articulate the significance of the result, an outcome few had envisioned. A mere week before, Latham had wryly confessed that he would have opted to bat first in Bengaluru—a decision that had led to India’s undoing in the first Test. Fast forward, and he had witnessed his pace bowling unit dismantle India for their lowest ever home Test score. A young Kiwi batter had audaciously taken on India’s experienced spinners, while New Zealand’s second new ball effort thwarted India’s spirited comeback—actions that together marked a new pinnacle in New Zealand’s history of away Test successes.
Yet, perhaps even more noteworthy was what transpired in Pune. Pre-match, the consensus was that spin would play a decisive role from the very first delivery. Against an Indian team known for its spin dominance, the combined international Test wicket-tally of New Zealand’s spinners was below that of either Ravi Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja alone. Nevertheless, Mitchell Santner spectacularly outperformed the Indian spinning giants across two innings.
. New Zealand batters, unbowed, applied pressure using a wide array of strokes, including the sweep—a ploy executed with such disregard for their opposition’s reputation, it left Ashwin and Jadeja struggling to reassert themselves. Once again, Latham’s strategic advantage at the toss was crucial, but this was more than just luck; it was India being bested in the discipline they usually command, underscoring a strategic triumph for New Zealand.
Though the adrenaline-fueled climax of India’s triumph at Gabba was missing, New Zealand’s achievement mirrored it in significance. It recast expectations about India’s perceived invincibility at home and underscored New Zealand’s knack for prevailing over India in major cricketing milestones—evidenced by their victory in the 2019 World Cup semi-final and the WTC final in 2021. The 2024 series win in India could well ignite a renaissance, fostering a new generation of cricketing greats in New Zealand.
For India, these losses invite introspection and hard questions targeted at their seasoned players. With the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma contributing quaintly with just half-centuries in Bengaluru, and Ashwin enduring a rare slump in home form amidst the rise of Washington Sundar, India’s status as a cricketing powerhouse confronts a re-evaluation. The ongoing transition phase, evident from four home Test defeats over two years, suggests that the once expansive chasm between them and other international teams is narrowing, aided in part by the advent of result-oriented pitches in the WTC era.
Compliance with expectations will be paramount as India braces for their tour of Australia. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, has pointed fingers at unrealistic expectations for consistent home dominance. Post-Pune Test, he stressed the necessity of focusing on positives derived from an 80% win rate across 54 Test matches, advocating for perspective over panic. Sharma, calling on the squad to internalize composure amid adversity, remarked: “We’ve developed such high expectations that India cannot err at home. This is hardly realistic.”
With India announcing their squad for the forthcoming Australian tour, they now face the formidable task of winning at least four out of five matches to ensure their WTC final berth. Achieving such an objective will be arduous and requires a response grounded in resilience and learning from the hard lessons in Pune.