New Zealand achieved their first-ever Test series win over India, overcoming Rohit Sharma’s Team India on the third day of the second Test at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Saturday.
Mitchell Santner’s explosive bowling spell powered New Zealand to a 113-run victory over India in the second Test. Chasing 359, India lost captain Rohit Sharma early for 8, but a resilient partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill briefly revived their hopes. Jaiswal’s dismissal dealt a major blow to India, but the situation quickly deteriorated as Rishabh Pant was run out following a miscommunication with Virat Kohli. From a solid 127/2, India suddenly found themselves at 127/4, having lost two attacking left-handers who might have countered New Zealand’s left-arm spin.
In an attempt to maintain a left-right combination, India promoted Washington Sundar to No. 6—a tactical move that was ultimately ineffective against Santner. The left-arm spinner dismissed Kohli for the second time in the match, followed by quick wickets of Sarfaraz and Sundar, tightening New Zealand’s grip on the game. The off-spinner claimed seven wickets in the match, supported by Ajaz Patel’s two-wicket haul, while for India, Jaiswal top-scored with 77, and Ravindra Jadeja contributed 42. With this win, New Zealand secured the series 2-0, marking India’s first home series defeat since 2012.
New Zealand take an unassailable 2-0 lead as India lose their first Test series at home since 2012.#WTC25 | #INDvNZ 📝: https://t.co/Kl7qRDguyN pic.twitter.com/ASXLeqArG7
— ICC (@ICC) October 26, 2024
Earlier on Day 3, India showed great intent with a spirited bowling effort, wrapping up New Zealand’s innings within the first hour. The visitors added only 57 runs to their overnight total, setting India a target of 359.
India’s WTC qualification takes a hit after home humiliation by Kiwis
India’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) final suffered a major setback after Rohit Sharma’s side fell to a surprising series defeat against New Zealand on Saturday. India lost the second Test by 113 runs at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, conceding a 0-2 lead in the three-match series.
New Zealand’s victory in the second Test has caused India’s WTC points percentage to drop sharply from 74% to 62.06% in just eight days, leaving them with 98 points from 13 matches. Despite this setback, Rohit and his team remain atop the WTC standings, holding a narrow lead over second-placed Australia, who stand at 62.50%.
Men in Blue’s next encounter with New Zealand will be in the third Test at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, marking their final home Test in the current WTC cycle. Following this match, Rohit Sharma and his team are set to head to Australia for the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
For India to secure a spot in the WTC final independently, they must avoid any further losses in their remaining six matches. Following the second Test defeat to New Zealand, India now faces the challenge of achieving at least five wins and a single draw to reach a PCT of 71.05. At least two wins would keep India in the race, though they would then rely on favorable outcomes from other teams.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
