IND vs NZ 2nd Test: Blubbering bunch of nervous wrecks

That’s what Mitchell Santner reduced the much-acclaimed Indian batting line-up to, on Day Two of the Pune Test; NZ lead by 301 runs

Until Friday, Mitchell Santner hadn’t taken more than three wickets in a Test innings. A limited-overs specialist who has a combined 222 international wickets in the two white-ball, his best figures in 47 Test innings was a modest 3-34. At the MCA International Stadium on Day Two of the second Test, in the most Indian of conditions, the left-arm spinner reduced a celebrated batting line-up to a blubbering group of nervous wrecks. Falling back on his white-ball expertise, based around targeting the stumps and varying his pace seamlessly, he ripped the heart out of the Indian batting with a terrific burst of 7-53, reigniting the debate over this current set of batters’ adaptability and technical proficiency against the turning ball.

103-run first innings lead

Santner’s unchanged stint of 19.3 overs helped winkle India out for 156 and allowed the Kiwis to open up a lead of 103, a sizeable advantage on a surface of increasing wear-and-tear and uneven bounce. Skipper Tom Latham then shed a lean trot with a beautifully crafted innings to power his side to 198-5 for an overall lead of 301. Only once before has a bigger score been successfully chased down on Indian soil. If New Zealand believe they are within touching distance of becoming the first team since England in 2012-13 to consign India to a series defeat in their own backyard, they are perfectly entitled to believe so.

Rishabh Pant after being dismissed for 18 against NZ yesterday. Pic/PTI

When India began the morning on 16-1 in response to New Zealand’s 259, there was plenty of interest surrounding what their approach would be. This wasn’t a track where strokes could be played freely, but going into the shell wasn’t a smart option either. India began decently enough through Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill — fortunate to survive a close leg before shout off the day’s third delivery — but once Santner eventually managed to convince Paul Reiffel to rule in his favour and see the back of Gill, the batting fell apart sensationally.

Also Read: Spinners rule the roost from Rawalpindi to Pune

Virat Kohli walked to a rousing reception, but lasted just nine deliveries, bowled middle-stump by a Santner full pitch that he aimed to swat to leg but missed completely. It was hard to figure out who was in greater shock — the former Indian captain, or the left-arm spinner who must have thought Christmas had come early.

Latham shines with 86

India were caught betwixt and between, the sorry procession unchecked, and had it not been for some enterprise shown by Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, they might have fallen further behind. When New Zealand came out to bat a second time, they resorted to a judicious mix of sweeps and reverse sweeps to try and throw the three-pronged spin attack out of kilter. Latham led the way with a rousing 86 and found willing allies in Devon Conway, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell and Tim Blundell as India felt the pain with every run added to New Zealand’s already handsome lead. For the second day in a row, Sundar was India’s bowling hero, completing a 10-wicket match haul, but it’s New Zealand who hold all the aces right now.

Brief scores
NZ 259 & 198-5 (T Latham 86, T Blundell 30; W Sundar 4-56) v India 156 (R Jadeja 38, Y Jaiswal 30, S Gill 30; M Santner 7-53, G Phillips 2-26)

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