In a thrilling Test series, New Zealand achieved a historic win over India on October 26, 2024, taking the second Test by 112 runs in Pune to claim their first-ever Test series victory in India. New Zealand’s comprehensive performance shattered India’s record of 18 consecutive bilateral home series wins. This victory holds significance as New Zealand had entered the series as underdogs, especially following a recent series loss to Sri Lanka. Their success was anchored by all-rounder Mitchell Santner, whose stellar performance with the ball-securing 13 wickets across both innings-proved crucial in India’s defeat.
In the first innings, New Zealand posted a total of 259 runs, thanks to Tom Latham’s 86, and received solid support from the middle order. Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja were the pick of the bowlers for India, taking four and three wickets, respectively. India struggled in response, posting a low total of 156, with Yashasvi Jaiswal leading the scoring with 77 runs. However, the Indian middle and lower order collapsed under Santner’s spell, who took six wickets in the innings, curtailing India’s ability to build a solid lead.
The second innings saw New Zealand strengthen their advantage with a score of 255. Latham once again provided stability at the top, while Sundar and Jadeja continued to bowl effectively, taking four and three wickets. India needed a strong chase to stay in contention but faltered again, only reaching 245. While Jaiswal and Jadeja showed resilience, the rest of the lineup struggled, particularly against Santner, who added another seven wickets to his tally, cementing his place as Player of the Match.
Reflecting on the series, New Zealand’s captain, Tom Latham, expressed pride in the team’s achievement, praising Santner’s crucial contributions and the team’s adaptability on Indian pitches. Meanwhile, India’s captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the disappointment of the loss, citing their inability to put enough runs on the board and respond to New Zealand’s spin attack. Sharma vowed to learn from the defeat and come back with improved tactics for future games.
This series marks a milestone in New Zealand’s Test history and sets a new standard for the team as they move forward in the World Test Championship cycle.
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