When Washington Sundar was picked over Kuldeep Yadav for India’s second Test against New Zealand in Pune, a lot of experts were unhappy over the choice. By the end of the New Zealand innings, however, there were no doubts that the move was perfect. Off-spinner Washington Sundar took seven wickets as India dismissed New Zealand for 259 on day one of the second Test in Pune on Thursday. Washington repaid the faith shown in him by the team management with career-best figures in his fifth Test. New Zealand’s last seven wickets fell for 62 runs.
He is the first Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in Tests in Pune. One of his deliveries has been dubbed as ‘magic’. The particular delivery was aimed at Rachin Ravindra and it turned to beat the Kiwi batter’s defence. Sundar is playing his first test match in 1325 days. He last played Test for India against England in Ahmedabad in March, 2021.
Unplayable , Washington Sundar’s magic delivery dismisses in-form Rachin Ravindra , Pure class!pic.twitter.com/xq3oydRgyR
— Akshay Tadvi (@AkshayTadvi28) October 24, 2024
Absolutely Magical delivery by Washington Sundar to get Rachin Ravindra wicket.pic.twitter.com/6c9SO4NXJZ
— Time is story (@Oxygen_O0) October 24, 2024
Ravichandran Ashwin took his third wicket of the innings while Washington Sundar picked two scalps in the last three overs of an engrossing second session as New Zealand reached 201/5 in 62 overs at tea on day one of the second Test against India at the MCA Stadium here on Thursday.
Resuming from 92/2 in the post-lunch session, Devon Conway started with a cracking cover drive off Jasprit Bumrah to get his fifty. He then capitalised on width from Bumrah’s deliveries by punching off the backfoot and opening the face of the bat late to get back-to-back boundaries.
From the other end, Rachin Ravindra began to find his groove by using Bumrah’s pace to run through the gap between slip and gully for four. Conway continued to be impressive with his drive and reverse sweeps, before poking at a short on a spinning away ball from Ashwin, with the edge caught by Rishabh Pant.
Ravindra took over the run-scoring mantle by lofting Ravindra Jadeja for six, before beautifully flicking Akash Deep for four more. After getting his fifty with a stylish flick going through the hands of short mid-wicket for four, Ravindra had two more boundaries coming off Akash via cut and outside edge.
The 59-run stand for the fourth wicket between Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell was brought to a halt by Washington, who turned the tide for India at the fag end of the second session with his dip and drift. Washington got a tossed-up delivery to turn away sharply from the middle stump and hit the top of the off-stump.
On outclassing Ravindra with a peach of a delivery, Washington leapt highly in the air.
With IANS inputs
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