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The visiting Kiwis ended the second day at 198/5 in their second innings, after having bundled out India for 156 runs, as the lead climbed to over 300 runs.
New Zealand players applaud New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner , right, after he took seven wickets at the end of India first innings during the day two of the second cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium , in Pune, India, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Visitors New Zealand established a 301-run lead over hosts India at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune at stumps of Day 2 of the second Test between the sides on Friday.
Mitchell Santner came up with an inspired performance with the ball in hand to bundle out the Indian batting order for a paltry total of 156 runs after the home side had begun day 2 at 16/1 following the loss of skipper Rohit Sharma’s wicket on the opening day.
Shubman Gill, who came in to replace fallen skipper Rohit at the crease, was the first to depart on the second day as he was trapped plump in front of the wicket by Santner for his first wicket of the day after having added 30 runs in a 49-runs stand alongside opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli also fell prey to the left-arm spinner as the maverick batter was castled for just a single run by Santner.
Jaiswal, who entered an elite list as he crossed the 1000-run mark for the calendar year with his 30-run innings in Pune, was sent back to the hut by Glenn Phillips, who doubled his tally with the dismissal of Rishabh Pant for just 18 runs.
Santner returned to haunt the Indian middle order as he sent Sarfaraz Khan back for 11 runs before the southpaw outwitted Ravichandran Ashwin and the all-rounder was forced to return to the dugout for just 4 runs.
Ravindra Jadeja, who top-scored for India with 38 runs, fell victim to Santner’s spin as the Kiwi bowler was playing skittles with the hosts’ batting order at this point.
The crafty spinner went on to complete a seven-wicket-haul with the dismissals of Akash Deep for 6 runs and Jasprit Bumrah for a duck to limit India to a score of 156 as the Kiwis began their second innings with a triple-figure lead.
The Kiwis opened their second innings with Tom Latham and Devon Conway before the latter fell to Washington Sundar for 17 runs.
Ashwin, aided the young spinner from the other end as she ended Will Young’s innings for 23 runs before Sundar dismissed Rachin Ravindra for 9 runs.
Daryll Mitchell became Sundar’s third scalp of the day as he was sent back to the hut by the spinner for 18 runs.
However, New Zealand did not take their foot off the gas pedal as Latham added further misery to the onlooking Indian fans with a brilliant 86-run knock at the top of the order for the Kiwis before being scalped by Sundar.
The visitors ended the second day at 198/5 with Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips unbeaten at 30 and 9 runs respectively as the lead climbed to over 300, leaving India with a mountain to climb.
