NEW DELHI: India stared at their first ever home Test series loss to New Zealand after the visitors claimed a formidable 301-run lead on day two of the second Test in Pune on Friday.
Tom Latham (86) spearheaded New Zealand’s batting effort following Mitchell Santner outstanding 7/53, which dismantled the Indian lineup. Latham’s innings helped solidify a 103-run first-innings lead, leaving the Kiwis at 198/5 at stumps.
Tom Blundell (30 not out) was at the crease alongside Glenn Phillips (7 not out) when play concluded for the day.
India have not lost a Test series at home since their defeat to England during the 2012-13 season, and their unbeaten streak of 18 series is now under serious threat.
The highest successful chase for India in Tests at home stands at 387 runs, achieved against England in Chennai in December 2008.
Here are the key talking points from the second day of the match:
Virat Kohli’s frailties against spin
Virat Kohli’s frailties against spin came to the fore again as his dismissal against Mitchell Santner became the huge talking point. The unexpected nature of his wicket left cricket experts baffled, and Kohli himself in disbelief. Kohli misjudged a low full toss, failing to connect as the ball slipped under his bat and crashed into the stumps, leaving him visibly frustrated.
Since 2021, Kohli has fallen to spin 21 times in Asia, highlighting a decline in his once-dominant form in Test cricket, where he boasts over 9,000 runs. His struggles, particularly against left-arm orthodox spinners like Santner, have become a growing concern. Of those 21 dismissals, 10 have come from left-arm orthodox bowlers, against whom Kohli now averages just 27.10.
Mitchell Santner’s seven-star show
Mitchell Santner made the Indian batters dance to his tunes on a turning Pune track as he returned career best figures of 7/53 to help New Zealand dismiss India for 156 in the first innings. It was Santner’s first five-wicket haul in 29 Test appearances.
Santner struck in the 11th over of the day trapping Shubman Gill lbw for 30 with a clever slider to the right-hander. The home crowd was left in stunned silence when Santner then claimed the prized wicket of Kohli, bowling him out with a low full toss.
The left-arm spinner then dismissed first-match centurion Sarfaraz Khan, who was caught at mid-on for 11. He followed this by trapping Ravichandran Ashwin lbw for just four runs. Santner then got Ravindra Jadeja out, ending his counter-attacking innings at 38. He claimed two more wickets to wrap up India’s innings, bolstering New Zealand’s hopes of securing their first Test series victory on Indian soil after winning the opener of the three-match series.
India’s top order falter again
India’s top order had another dismal performance, with none of the batters managing to score a half-century. Ravindra Jadeja, who looked to revive the innings, top-scored with a counter-attacking knock of 38 runs. The hosts suffered yet another ‘bad session’ as they lost six wickets in the morning for just 91 runs, making the pitch appear more unfavorable for batting than it actually was.
Tom Latham leads NZ charge in 2nd innings
Skipper Tom Latham led by example, skillfully countering the Indian spinners while New Zealand’s batters executed their plans effectively. The Kiwis showcased solid defensive techniques and rotated the strike deftly, applying consistent pressure on the Indian bowlers. Latham looked poised to secure his first century since December 2022, but Washington Sundar interrupted his progress, dismissing him for 86 runs off 133 balls, which included 10 fours.
Washington Sundar’s 10-wicket haul
The lone bright spot for India in this match is Washington Sundar who made a memorable return to the national team after a hiatus of more than three and half years. After clinching a career-best haul of 7/59 in the first innings, the right-arm off spinner chipped in with four wickets in the second essay. Sundar dismissed Devon Conway for 17, Rachin Ravindra for nine, and Daryl Mitchell for 18 before claiming Tom Latham as his fourth victim of the innings.