Mitchell Santner Leads New Zealand to Historic Test Series Victory Over India Since 1954
Mitchell Santner, New Zealand’s spinner, claimed an incredible 13 wickets in their first-ever Test series victory on Indian soil.
In addition to being India’s first home Test series loss since 2012, this 113-run triumph in Pune was a landmark in cricket history.
Key Performances and Match Scorecard
Match Analysis
In their innings, New Zealand scored 259 and 255, led by outstanding efforts from Tom Latham (86), Rachin Ravindra (65), and Devon Conway (76). In response, India was held to scores of 156 and 245; Santner, who finished as the third-best visiting bowler in India, recorded career-best match figures of 13 for 157.
After taking 7 for 53 in the first innings, Santner’s unrelenting 29-over stint in the second innings yielded six wickets. His dominance was essential in thwarting India’s ambitious 359-run chase, which was first sparked by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s quick 77 off 65 balls. Indian batters were challenged by Santner’s deft usage of pace, angle, and dip, which ultimately resulted to New Zealand’s historic series victory.
India’s response to New Zealand’s spin attack demonstrated how difficult it was for them to match Santner’s accuracy and control. India’s all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja scored 42 and 38 runs in two innings, and Washington Sundar showed off his bowling ability by claiming 11 of New Zealand’s 15 wickets prior to the last innings. Nevertheless, despite the efforts of opener Shubman Gill and captain Rohit Sharma, India was exposed by their top-order collapse.
India had hope thanks to Jaiswal’s counterattacking approach, but Santner’s relentless pressure and crucial dismissals of Virat Kohli, Jaiswal, and Rohit put an end to India’s pursuit. Santner cemented his position in New Zealand cricket history by using his command of flight and turn to force mistakes from India’s hitters.
Santner’s outstanding bowling performance ended India’s undefeated home record and guaranteed New Zealand’s historic Test series victory over India. His impact to New Zealand’s ascent in international Test cricket is highlighted by his ability to neutralize India’s batting and take crucial wickets.
Mitchell Santner Reflects on His Special Performance
With match stats of 13 for 157, Santner’s commitment throughout the game was crucial to New Zealand’s 113-run triumph over India. “Every time I got a wicket, it felt a little better,” said New Zealand’s stand-in captain Tom Latham, who acknowledged the physical difficulties Santner had throughout his lengthy stints, in his reflections on the victory.
Because of the side pain he suffered early in the game, Santner found bowling in Indian conditions to be very difficult and physically taxing. But he persisted, constantly modifying his spin technique to keep his deliveries consistently under control. Santner acknowledged, “It’s a bit strange for me to bowl that many overs,” but he also said that each wicket increased his self-assurance and pain threshold.
India’s chase got off to a fast start thanks to opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s quick half-century and aggressive batting from Shubman Gill. Santner’s accurate bowling stopped India’s momentum despite the first assault, taking important wickets including Rohit Sharma, Gill, and Jaiswal.
Latham pointed out that while New Zealand’s flexibility was essential, India’s assertive strategy was surprising. He said, “We managed to get the breakthroughs when we needed,” and gave Santner credit for maintaining pressure on India’s strong batting order. Santner was able to take advantage of India’s errors as they were unable to steady themselves under his unrelenting bowling thanks to his strategic adjustments in pace and line.
New Zealand’s success in India is all the more significant in light of the team’s struggles before the series. They had just suffered a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka and had come without their best batsman, Kane Williamson. Latham, however, highlighted the team’s emphasis on fundamentals and flexibility, which enabled them to meet every obstacle India posed on two very different fields.
New Zealand is eyeing a possible sweep in what has already turned into a historic series for the Black Caps, with one Test left in Mumbai.
Rohit Sharma Reflects on India’s Home Series Loss to New Zealand: “We Didn’t Bat Well Enough”
After New Zealand’s historic three-day triumph in Pune, India’s skipper, Rohit Sharma, voiced his sadness at the team’s first home Test series loss since 2012. Regarding India’s difficulties in the opening inning, Rohit admitted that the batting order was unable to handle the pressure of a formidable New Zealand team, highlighting the necessity of making adjustments for future games.
“We didn’t bat well in the first innings, which put us under pressure,” Rohit said, evaluating the team’s performance. It was hard to bounce back after scoring only 156 runs, and the pitch got harder as the game went on.
Although there was hope due to the promising pair between Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s middle order was unable to keep up with New Zealand’s pace, as wickets fell quickly.
An incredible performance in Test cricket, India’s 18-series home unbeaten record came to an end with this loss. This loss served as a stinging reminder of how rapidly form can change for seasoned players like Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and R Ashwin, who were involved in the team’s most recent home loss in 2012. However, Rohit emphasized that India’s record demonstrates its endurance and warned against making hurried decisions.
“Our hitters have scored on difficult pitches for 18 straight home series victories. It’s important to keep in mind that it’s a part of the game, even though we haven’t played as well in this series. Rohit defended his players by saying, “Sometimes things just don’t go as planned.”
Rohit admitted that India’s prospects of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) are still alive despite the loss. To guarantee a spot in the top two, India will need to defeat New Zealand in the last Test match and win the series in Australia.
However, Rohit urged the group to concentrate on making changes right away. He said, “It’s too early to dwell on the WTC.” “What stings the most is losing at home. It’s frustrating that we didn’t do well in this series, and we need to improve as a team in both bowling and batting.”
Although India’s typically strong roster has shown some vulnerabilities in this series, Rohit is still confident in the team’s ability to bounce back and advance.
