New Zealand have created history! It’s taken them seven decades but the Black Caps finally have a series win in India! And it’s in n emphatic manner, with a dominant show for the second consecutive week.

India’s 12-year-long unbeaten series record at home has been broken. The World Test Championship final spot is in jeopardy and they have lots of questions to ponder over before heading to Mumbai for the Diwali Test!

(IND vs NZ second Test: Day 2 in pictures, October 25, 2024)

(IND vs NZ second Test: Day 1 in pictures, October 24, 2024)

Mitchell Santner proved to be a thorn for the Indian batsmen as he once again struck telling blows and finished the match with a 13-wicket haul.
| Photo Credit: K. Bhagya Prakash

For the second time in three days – and the third time in four innings this series – India’s batters surrendered against a clinical New Zealand as the visiting side created history by taking an unassailable lead in the three-match series, mauling India by 113 runs.

Twenty-six minutes into the last hour of the third day at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium, with some of the 28,895 spectators who had turned up hoping against hope of an India turnaround, Tim Southee at long-on completed a clean catch to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja off Ajaz Patel and the New Zealand bunch burst into a prolonged bout of celebration.

After setting India a stiff target of 359, all it took for the Kiwi bowlers — led by the bespectacled Mitchell Santner — was 257 minutes and a little over 60 overs to wind up India’s second essay for 245.

Barring Yashasvi Jaiswal, who adopted an ultra-aggressive approach before being drawn forward and undone in flight by Santner, and Jadeja who prolonged the inevitable, no India batter could occupy the crease on a pitch that continued to aid the tweakers.

The Kiwi spinners – especially Santner – persisted with making India’s batters play by employing a stump-to-stump line. It paid dividend yet again as the Indian batters continued to be beaten on either side of the edge.

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New Zealand Mitchell Santner celebrates with his teammates after taking a wicket against India in Pune on October 25, 2024.
| Photo Credit: K. Bhagya Prakash

The batters’ constant failure in making runs in the first innings is costing the team dear, admitted bowling coach Morne Morkel even as India are in danger of losing the first Test series at home since 2012-13.

After getting bundled out for an abysmal 46 in the first innings of the opening Test, India were skittled out for a mere 156 in the first essay of second Test here on Friday as New Zealand took firm control of the match.

India vs New Zealand 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights

“I never like to have a punch up between batters and bowlers but, in Test match cricket you need to score the first innings runs,” Morkel told the media during the post-day press meet.

“If we put our hand up, we haven’t been able to do that. There are world class players in our batting line up. I know that individually, they’ve got their processes and they know how to go about those things,” he added.

Morkel hoped to see a better outing from Indian batters in the second innings.

“Hopefully, we can iron those mistakes out because it’s costing us at the moment — not getting the runs on the board — but I’m pretty sure there’s enough experience, enough knowledge amongst them to rectify that,” he added.

“I back the team (to come up) with a strong response in our second innings. I’m excited to see how they bounce back and how they play this situation and the conditions,” he said.

Morkel said India will have to maintain belief and back their knowledge of the conditions to avert losing the match and the series.

“We have to believe. This game is a funny game. Our guys are attacking players, there’s guys that know these conditions well. Our talk before this game was that we are masters in these conditions, we know how to sum these conditions up,” he said.

“Let’s be honest, it’s going to be a tough task. But what an opportunity for somebody to really inspire and put in a fighting and a top performance — that’s the way I see it.

“When conditions are tricky and tough you’ll see real people stand up and fight and if we show that fight and somebody gets the momentum going in these conditions, you never know,” he said.

Morkel said the hosts wanted to see off the overs on Day One when they reached 16/1 in 11 overs and then find momentum on Day Two.

“I think they (New Zealand) bowled very well in partnership. Watching from the outside, it was very hard for us to rotate strike, to keep the scoreboard ticking,” he said.

“In these sort of conditions where the ball is turning and asking a lot of questions, it is important to do that.

“The pace that (Mitchell) Santner bowled today in particular, was spot on for this surface. On Day Two, arriving here this morning being one down, our camp was very confident that we were going to bat big but unfortunately we just couldn’t get that momentum going,” he added.

Morkel praised New Zealand for coming to this tour well-prepared.

“I must give credit to New Zealand. The way they’ve adapted to conditions, the way they’ve sort of blocked out what is in front of them and just played the game, it’s been incredible so far in this series,” he said.

“Definitely in Bangalore and here, playing those sessions, playing those important moments they’ve done it better than us at the moment.” “And that’s one of the reasons why they’re on top of this game at the moment. They’re creating pressure with the ball. They’re putting our bowlers under pressure by sweeping and reverse-sweeping well.

“They’re a team that plans well, they go into tours and really leave no stone unturned so I’m not surprised by the way they’re playing at the moment,” he added.

New Zealand’s day on every count! Mitchell Santner broke the back of India’s batting and gave the Kiwis a comprehensive 103-run lead. 

Tom Latham then played a captain’s knock to ensure New Zealand tightened its noose around India. New Zealand is on the cusp of a historic series win in India. 

Can India mark a miraculous turnaround with New Zealand leading by 301 runs!

(India vs New Zealand Day 1 in pictures)

All-rounder Washington Sundar justified his selection with a career-best 7 for 59 to help India bowl out New Zealand for 259, but the hosts lost skipper Rohit Sharma early in their first innings when stumps were drawn on day 1 of the second Test, in Pune on Thursday (October 24, 2024).

India crawled to 16 for one in 11 overs with Yashasvi Jaiswal (6 not out) and Shubman Gill (10 not out) at the crease, trailing by another 243 runs in the first innings.

Sarfaraz Khan and KL Rahul are locked in a selection battle for the second Test against New Zealand in Pune which starts on October 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) that middle-order batters KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan are locked in a selection battle for the second Test against New Zealand in Pune even though head coach Gautam Gambhir is keen to give the former, a long rope.

With India looking to bounce back from the eight-wicket thrashing at Bengaluru in the opening Test, focus will be on the team combination with Washington Sundar being added to the squad. Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are both aiming to shake off injury concerns for the match starting on Thursday (October 24, 2024).

“Yeah, there’s no point in sugarcoating it, there’s a fight for a spot,” ten Doeschate told the media when asked if Rahul and Sarfaraz were battling for a place in the team, in Pune at the MCA Stadium ahead of India’s training session.

“Sarfaraz was obviously brilliant in the last Test. I went to KL after the last Test (and) said how many balls do you play at (and) miss at? He didn’t play at (and) miss at one ball and that’s what tends to happen when you’re not getting runs.

“There’s certainly no concerns about KL, he’s batting nicely, he’s in a good mental space. But we are certainly going to have to fit seven pieces into six spots for this Test and look at the pitch now and decide what’s going to be best for the team,” he said.

Sarfaraz scored a second-innings 150 in the Bengaluru game, while Rahul remained off-colour in both essays.

While admitting that it is difficult to keep Rahul out of the equation in the Test format, ten Doeschate said head coach Gautam Gambhir is “keen to” give him a long rope.

“It’s not like we’re worried about his form. If you go on just the past three months since Gauti has been in here, he’s keen to give him (Rahul) as much rope as we can. We have a lot of faith in him,” he said.

“But at the same time, it’s a very competitive environment, with Sarfaraz getting 150 plus runs (222 not out) in the Irani Trophy final. The decision will be what’s best for the team, but we’ll certainly back all the guys in,” he added.

Pant, who did not keep wickets for a significant part of the opening Test, and Shubman Gill, who missed the match due to stiffness in his neck, are close to attaining their full fitness.

“Rishabh is pretty good. I think Rohit (Sharmna) touched on it the other day. He was having a little bit of discomfort at the end range of his movement with the knee. But fingers crossed, he’ll be good to keep in the Test as well,” he said.

“He (Gill) looks so (available for this Test). He has batted last week in Bangalore, he had a few nets, he’s got a little bit of discomfort, but I think he’ll be good to go for the Test,” he added.