In a remarkable display of spin bowling, New Zealand seized the upper hand in the second Test match against India in Pune, leaving the hosts reeling at 107/7 by the lunch break on the second day. The architect of this striking collapse was none other than the left-arm orthodox spinner, Mitchell Santner, whose four-wicket haul became the focal point of the morning session’s proceedings. This extraordinary performance left the Indian batting line-up, traditionally considered formidable on home soil, in disarray and ensured New Zealand’s command over the match was firmly established.
As the morning session commenced, Indian openers Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal walked out with an attacking intent, aiming to erode New Zealand’s first innings total of 259. Their positive start initially seemed promising as they effectively found gaps, executing elegant boundaries at regular intervals, thus causing concern in the New Zealand camp. Both young batsmen exhibited composure and poise, suggesting that a robust partnership was on the cards.
However, the script took an unexpected turn as Gill, looking in fine touch, was undone by a shrewd delivery from Santner that trapped him leg-before-wicket. This dismissal was the pivotal moment that ignited a calamitous collapse for the Indian team. The once-raucous Pune crowd quickly fell into an uneasy silence as Santner followed his initial success by delivering a low full-toss to Indian skipper Virat Kohli. Missing the ball entirely while attempting a drive, Kohli was left stunned as his off-stump was rattled, magnifying the impact of Santner’s early strikes.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant, entering with his characteristic aggression, struck his second ball to the boundary, rekindling hopes of a counter-attack. Yet, at the other end, Jaiswal’s patience gave way under pressure as he edged a delivery to the slip cordon, leaving Pant to anchor an increasingly fragile innings alone.
With each delivery now becoming an event in itself due to the pitch’s treacherous bounce and turn, Pant became the victim of Glenn Phillips’ well-disguised quicker delivery.
. This particular ball unexpectedly kept low, skidding through and flattening Pant’s stumps – another blow to India’s crumbling hopes. As India’s esteemed batting depth followed one tragic dismissal after another, the atmosphere within the stadium mirrored their disheartened state.
Sarfaraz Khan, another promising batsman, fell into Santner’s trap, mistiming a shot that ended in safe hands, continuing the string of wickets. The relentless Santner was domineering, quickly claiming the wicket of all-rounder R Ashwin, who succumbed to the spin maestro’s guile.
As the lunch interval approached, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja were left with the daunting task of rebuilding India’s innings amidst the wreckage. Sundar narrowly escaped a leg-before-wicket appeal, yet the psychological burden of trailing by 152 runs weighed heavily on the pair. With a challenging road ahead, their partnership became India’s last vestige of resistance against New Zealand’s resurgent spin attack.
The brief scores underscore New Zealand’s dominance: India, precariously placed at 107 for 7, trail behind New Zealand’s total of 259. Santner’s remarkable figures, accounting for four critical wickets at the expense of just 36 runs, and Phillips’ astute contributions, which garnered two wickets for 26 runs, encapsulate the extent of the Indian collapse.
As the game progresses, New Zealand is undoubtedly in the driver’s seat, having exploited the conditions to devastating effect. The Indian openers’ initial promise was swiftly extinguished by a superb demonstration of strategic bowling, centered around exploiting the pitch’s unpredictable nature. For India, the remainder of the match becomes a test of resilience, with their hopes pinned on Jadeja and Sundar to salvage a competitive position from the depths of their current predicament.