At the end of Day 1, the contest remained evenly poised, with both teams vying to assert their dominance. However, Day 2 proved to be less enjoyable for Indian fans as the spinners continued to excel, putting India’s home advantage in jeopardy. By the close of Day 2, New Zealand had taken control, leading by 301 runs and placing the match squarely in their hands. Here’s a detailed review of the India vs. New Zealand Test on Day 2.
Mitchell Santner's Spellbound Bowling Dismantles Indian Batting Lineup
India began Day 2 at 16/1, with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the crease. Ajaz Patel started his spwell, and New Zealand sensed an early advantage as the ball began to grip and turn. Initially, Gill and Jaiswal adopted a defensive approach, successfully blocking out the threats. However, a close call arose when Gill narrowly escaped an LBW decision, which was turned down on review, much to New Zealand’s frustration.
As the morning progressed, India began to accumulate runs, but it was Mitchell Santner who delivered the first blow, trapping Gill LBW for 30. The crowd, which had been buzzing, fell into a hush as Virat Kohli walked to the crease. Expectations were high, but his stay was disappointingly brief. Kohli misplayed a full toss, sending the ball crashing into the stumps, leaving the crowd in stunned silence. The New Zealand players were visibly pumped after claiming the prized wicket of Kohli, who managed only 1 run.
Rishabh Pant then entered the fray, and while his presence didn’t bring much reassurance to Indian fans, he had shown glimpses of his ability to sweep effectively. Glenn Phillips was introduced into the attack to target the two left-handers, and he made an immediate impact by dismissing the well-settled Jaiswal for 30. At this point, India found themselves struggling at 70/4.
Sarfraz Khan was next in, but the spinners continued to dominate. Pant soon fell as well, misjudging a good-length delivery that crashed into his stumps—a painful sight for the Indian supporters. Sarfraz followed suit, falling to the New Zealand captain, again caught in a familiar trap as he attempted an ambitious slog that landed in the fielder's hands.
The spinners were relentless, with Ravi Ashwin the next casualty before the lunch break. By then, India had collapsed to 107/7, marking a session that belonged firmly to New Zealand. They had dominated the Indian batting lineup like no other team in recent memory.
The second session began with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar managing to add a few runs, but Santner continued to wreak havoc. Ultimately, India was bowled out for a mere 156 runs in Pune, leaving New Zealand with a substantial lead of 101 runs. The crowd could hardly believe what they had witnessed as the teams returned to their respective dugouts.
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New Zealand ends the day with a solid lead.
New Zealand's innings began with Tom Latham and Devon Conway at the crease, facing off against Ravichandran Ashwin with the new ball. The Kiwi batters adopted a straightforward approach, unsettling both Washington Sundar and Ashwin early on. Despite Ashwin's efforts, Rohit Sharma was forced to bring in Ravindra Jadeja, but the New Zealand openers quickly found their rhythm against him as well. Washington Sundar, however, was bowling well, and he claimed the first breakthrough by dismissing Devon Conway, sending him back to the pavilion.
Will Young joined Latham, and the two formed a solid partnership, finding boundaries with ease. Just before tea, Ravi Ashwin struck again, sending Young back for a well-played innings. At tea, New Zealand was comfortably placed at 85/2.
After the break, India struck quickly again, with Washington Sundar dismissing Rachin Ravindra, getting rid of a key player early in the innings. However, the momentum shifted back to New Zealand as Tom Latham notched up his first fifty of the series, helping extend their lead past 200 runs. Daryl Mitchell fell to Washington soon after, giving the Indian side a brief glimmer of hope as he recorded his maiden 10-wicket haul in first-class cricket—one of the few positives for India so far.
Tom Blundell joined Latham, and the two applied pressure on the Indian bowlers, putting together a 50-run partnership. Latham's innings came to an end when he was dismissed by Washington for 86, just shy of a deserved century. Glenn Phillips and Blundell then entered a new phase of the innings, building yet another partnership as the day came to a close.
New Zealand finished Day 2 at 198/5, boasting a commanding lead of 301 runs. They completely dominated the session and looked favorites to secure a series win. For India, it was a disappointing day at the office, leaving the players dejected as they returned to the pavilion.
Stay tuned for Day 3 action, where New Zealand edges closer to a famous series victory, while India faces the daunting task of trying to turn things around in Pune.
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