IND vs NZ 2nd Test Day 3 Report: India’s home fortress was breached twice in a row by New Zealand as the Kiwis registered their maiden Test series win on Indian soil. This is also India’s first Test series loss at home since 2012, a run that included 18 consecutive series wins.
This streak was snapped by New Zealand with their 113-run victory in Pune, which followed the 7-wicket win in Bengaluru. Santner, who had downed India with 7 wickets in the first innings, rocked them again with six wickets in the second innings.
IND vs NZ 2nd Test Day 3 Report:
India finally dominated an entire session in this Test match, and what a session it was for the hosts. They first took the remaining five New Zealand wickets for 57 runs, and then Yashasvi Jaiswal game out all guns blazing to give a fiery start to the chase, supported well by Shubman Gill, though India did lose captain Rohit Sharma early once again.
New Zealand started the day well with the bat, scoring 29 runs in the first six overs, but then Ravindra Jadeja started the collapse by rattling Tom Blundell’s stumps. His next two victims were Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel, and sandwiched between them was the dismissal of Tim Southee off R. Ashwin. William O’Rourke got run out as New Zealand’s second innings came to an end at 255 with Glenn Phillips’ remaining not out on 48, which proved to be crucial runs as the Kiwis set India a target of 359 runs.
In the history of Test cricket, India have only once chased down a target of 300+ at home—against England in Chennai in 2008—but that surface was much better for batting than this one in Pune.
India got off to a sizzling start as Jaiswal pulled Southee for a second-ball six and then cut the seamer for a four. Rohit hit his first ball for a four off O’Rourke but soon got out to Santner for only 8 runs, caught at short leg while defending.
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Rohit’s dismissal seemed to have no effect on the young pair of Jaiswal and Gill as they latched onto the Kiwi spinners with a series of boundaries, which included an extraordinary inside-out six from the left-hander off Phillips. By the end of the first session, India were 81/1 in only 12 overs, a run-rate of 6.75 suggesting their intention.
However, any hope that Jaiswal and Gill had given India in the first session was completely deflated in the second session, wherein the Black Caps took six wickets and Santner completed his second five-for of the match. While Gill was caught at slip off Santner, Jaiswal flayed boundaries and raced to 77, but the left-hander too succumbed to Santner’s unbelievable spell, as he, too, edged to first slip.
At 127/3, India needed a long partnership from Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli. However, the duo attempted a quick single, and Pant got run out. Kohli didn’t last long either, departing for 17 runs as he was trapped LBW by Santner. The left-arm bowled Sarfaraz Khan with a beautiful ball while Washington Sundar, who scored 21, was caught at short leg off Phillips.
After Tea, Jadeja formed a couple of partnerships that gave a glimmer of hope to India—with Ashwin, he added 39 and with Akash Deep, he added 23—but that was just delaying the inevitable. Jadeja was the last man to fall for 40 runs as New Zealand sealed a 113-run win and their maiden Test series in India as well. Santner was named the Player of the Match for his 13 wickets in the game.
Also Read: India ICC WTC final qualification scenario after series loss vs New Zealand
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