After a comprehensive and record-breaking victory in the first Test in Bangalore, New Zealand continued the good work and looked set to pile on the misery. However, India fought back beautifully to skittle the Kiwis out for 259 on the first day of the second Test in Pune. It was the Tamil Nadu off-spin duo that stood out for the ‘Men in Blue’.
There was a lot of chatter around Washington Sundar and his inclusion in the team right after the toss. The Tamil Nadu off-spinner was drafted into the squad in place of Kuldeep Yadav who has had a very good 2024 (22 wickets in five Tests). But he silenced his critics superbly, taking 7/59 and helping India make an excellent comeback in the second Test.
Sundar’s last Test appearance came more than three and a half years ago. In fact, all his four previous Test matches came back in 2021. He’s even been in and out of the white-ball setup due to injuries and team combinations. The 25-year-old all-rounder was not even a part of the original Test squad. He was called up only at the end of the first Test. But he vindicated his selection superbly.
New Zealand won an important toss and opted to bat first on a dry-looking pitch in Pune. While Jasprit Bumrah troubled Devon Conway but the latter went through the new ball unscathed. The Blackcaps openers added 30 runs in the first seven overs.
However, the introduction of spin changed things. Ravichandran Ashwin was brought into the attack and he struck immediately as he trapped Tom Latham LBW with a ball that turned from middle and leg. Sundar bowled from the other end and constantly posed questions.
Conway who looked very iffy against the new ball started settling down and started forming a decent partnership with Will Young. But the latter feathered a delivery down leg-side to Rishabh Pant which was given out on review.
Post lunch, Conway and Rachin Ravindra batted solidly and stitched a 62-run stand for the third wicket. It was Ashwin once again who struck as he had Conway caught behind for 76.
However, India just couldn’t gather momentum and pick wickets in clusters. While they bowled well and went past the edge along with creating some close calls around the bat, they couldn’t break through as regularly as they would’ve liked. Ravindra continued his magnificent form and notched up his fourth Test fifty. He was looking set for another big score.
Sundar turns the tide for India
Just when things were looking ominous for India with New Zealand cruising at 197/3, Sundar turned the game on it’s head. He struck twice on the stroke of Tea to bring parity to the game. He knocked over Ravindra with a beauty, going past his outside edge before castling Tom Blundell through the gate.
The tall off-spinner went on a rampant in the third session as he ran through the New Zealand line-up in no time. Mitchell Santner played a useful hand of 33, hitting three fours and two sixes but none of the other batters in the middle and lower order mustered any contribution.
Sundar finished with a seven-wicket haul. It was his career-best figure in first-class cricket and his maiden fifer in international cricket. New Zealand were bowled out for 259. They lost their last seven wickets for just 62 runs and all of the last seven were taken by Sundar.
In reply, India had just under an hour to see off in the day. However, the New Zealand bowlers were right on the money and gave nothing away. Southee struck in the third over of the innings as he knocked over skipper Rohit Sharma with a cracker of an outswinger. The Indian captain was dismissed for a duck. William O’Rourke bowled decently at the other end too.
Both pacers bowled three overs each before the visitors introduced spin from both ends. Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner got some purchase from the pitch as well. They caused a few jitters in the final few overs but Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal saw off the day. India finished the day 15/1.
BRIEF SCORES: New Zealand 259 allout (Devon Conway 77, Rachin Ravindra 65, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/64, Washington Sundar 7/59) vs India 16/1 (Shubman Gill 10*, Tim Southee 1/4).
