In a stunning display of skill, Mitchell Santner’s secured his second five-wicket haul & his maiden ten-wicket match performance in Test cricket, propelling New Zealand toward a historic series win against India in the latest NZ VS IND clash in Pune. During the crucial afternoon session on the third day, the hosts faced a dramatic collapse, losing six wickets, five of which fell to Santner, who ended with exceptional figures of 5 for 72. This left India at 178 for 7, still needing 181 runs to claim victory, & put them on the brink of suffering their first home series defeat since 2012.
The session initially favored India, with Yashasvi Jaiswal attacking the New Zealand bowlers, scoring a brisk 77. However, Santner soon turned the tide in this gripping NZ VS IND encounter, dismissing Shubman Gill with a well-placed delivery that found its way to slip. The pivotal moment came when Santner took Jaiswal’s wicket; the opener, struggling with back pain, had limited his sweeping, resulting in a crucial dismissal. Following Jaiswal’s exit, the Indian batting order faltered dramatically as Rishabh Pant was run out after a miscommunication with Virat Kohli. From a solid position of 127 for 2, India plummeted to 127 for 4, losing two key left-handers who might have countered Santner’s left-arm spin.
Santner’s Brief Scores:
New Zealand: 259 & 255 (Tom Latham 86; Washington Sundar 4-56, Ravindra Jadeja 3-72)
India: 156 & 178/7 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 77; Mitchell Santner 5-72)
New Zealand leads by 180 runs in this thrilling NZ VS IND series.
In an attempt to stabilize their innings, India promoted Washington Sundar to number six, but Santner remained relentless, taking Kohli’s wicket for the second time in the match before also dismissing Sarfaraz Ahmed & Sundar. Despite the efforts of Ravindra Jadeja & Ravichandran Ashwin to halt the decline, the prospect of New Zealand’s victory seemed inevitable in this NZ VS IND series. While other bowlers struggled for consistency, Santner’s mastery of the Pune pitch has left India reeling.
