India did everything possible ahead of the second Test.
Following an embarrassing defeat in the series-opener in Bengaluru last week, the team management opted for a rank turner at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in a bid to negate New Zealand’s pace attack; reshuffled its playing eleven by drafting in Washington Sundar and Akash Deep.
But in the end, nothing worked in its favour as yet another batting debacle led to India’s first home series defeat since 2012.
After wrapping up the last five New Zealand wickets on Saturday morning with the addition of 57 runs to the overnight score of 198 for 5, India needed 359 runs to win and bounce back in the three-match Test series.
However, as Mitchell Santner (6 for 104) continued his dream run, following a seven-wicket haul in the first innings, none of the Indian batters - barring Yashasvi Jaiswal (77, 65b) - could rise to the occasion as the home side went down by 113 runs.
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Similar to the script in the first essay, where India’s vulnerabilities against left-arm spin played a significant part, the star-studded batting unit looked clueless once again as Santner tightened the noose en route to his maiden 10-wicket match haul in Test cricket, finishing with match figures of 13 for 157.
After the debacle in the innings, one expected more intent and a fresh approach from the Indian batters, but nothing changed in a span of twenty-four hours as the home team lost six wickets in the post-lunch session, despite Jaiswal starting the innings aggressively.
Though captain Rohit Sharma departed early on, Jaiswal backed his natural game and continued his assault on the New Zealand bowlers. Not for once did he look under pressure, executing his shots to perfection, giving enough opportunity to the 28,000-plus crowd to cheer for the home team.
Jaiswal’s counter-attacking approach allowed India to dream on as a 62-run partnership was forged between him and Shubman Gill for the second wicket before Santner began his masterclass, forcing Gill to edge one to slip.
Yashasvi Jaiswal of India in the 2nd innings during India vs New Zealand test match at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) stadium at Pune. | Photo Credit: K BHAGYA PRAKASH/ The Hindu
That, certainly, was the turning point.
Even as the crowd welcomed Virat Kohli amid huge cheers, hoping he would shrug off the first innings disappointment and guide India out of the woods, the superstar batter’s stay at the crease lasted for an hour and by the time, he again fell to Santner, India was already five down - having already lost the key wickets of Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant, who was run out after an error in judgement with Kohli.
Jaiswal’s dismissal was a massive setback for the home team. While he rode on sweeps initially, the young opener reduced playing those shots as the innings progressed due to an aching back, for which he received medical attention. He looked set for another ton, before being caught at slip by Daryl Mitchell off Santner.
India did tweak its batting-order and promoted Washington Sundar at No. 6, but with Santner calling the shots, the move did not have an impact. From cruising at 127 for 2 at one stage, India was reeling at 165 for 6 as Sarfaraz Khan, too, could not survive beyond 15 balls.
Though Ravindra Jadeja (42, 82b) and Ravichandran Ashwin came up with a 39-run-stand, it meant little as Santner made the optimum use of the Pune surface and ensured that New Zealand won its first-ever Test series on Indian soil.
The last time India lost a home series - against England in 2012 - Gautam Gambhir was still an active cricketer; Rohit and Kohli were in their early days at the international circuit and most members of the current team were in their teens. Since then, the team regrouped and remained unbeaten at home, until a rather unfancied New Zealand outfit halted its journey, twelve years later.
The defeat also dented India’s hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship final as its points percentage (PCT) took a dip from above 74 percent to 62.82 percent within a week.
Even though it still has a lead over second-placed Australia, India cannot afford another defeat in their remaining six matches if it dreams of featuring in the third WTC final on the trot, next year.
With little less than a month left for its tour Down Under, India’s flaky batting show in the last few innings would surely force the team management to hit the drawing board.
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