IND vs NZ, 2nd Test: New Zealand Win By 113 Runs To Register Maiden Series Win In India As Hosts Crash To 12-Year Low

Match Summary:

India’s epic home streak just came crashing down! For the first time in 12 years, they lost a Test series on their own turf, all thanks to Mitchell Santner spinning circles around them. The 113-run loss in the second match didn’t just hurt—it seriously dented India’s top spot in the World Test Championship.

While India tasted defeat for the first time after 18 straight home series wins, New Zealand was celebrating their first-ever series win in India, a victory almost 70 years in the making. The Kiwis have been visiting India since 1955 but had never managed to break through until now.

Indian batters, once known for handling spin with ease, were no match for Santner, who picked up a massive 13 wickets in the game (7 in the first innings alone!). Chasing 359, India’s batters couldn’t keep up, crumbling to 245, with only young Yashasvi Jaiswal (77 off 65) and Ravindra Jadeja (42) putting up any resistance.

The team’s recent batting struggles started with their infamous 46 all-out in the Bengaluru Test and ended in this disappointing home series loss, their first since 2012-13 against England. The Kiwis not only ended India’s streak of 18 consecutive home series wins, but they also handed India only their fourth Test series defeat at home since the turn of the century.

This loss keeps India technically on top in the WTC table with 98 points, but their percentage points are down to 62.82, with Australia breathing down their necks at 62.50. India had hoped to seal their top spot before heading to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but now they’ve got an even tougher road ahead. With five of their next six matches against Australia in their backyard, India will have to seriously step up to keep their WTC final hopes alive.

Day 3 Updates:

3.57 pm: That’s it, New Zealand have made history by becoming the first team to beat India in a Test series in India since 2012.

New Zealand (259 & 255) Beat India (156 & 245) by 113 runs to win their first-ever series here.

3.05 pm: WICKET! Ravichandran Ashwin c 18 (34 balls). India 206/8 (49.3 overs)

14:15 pm: India suffer another batting collapse. They started the session at 81/1, but have crashed to 178/7 heading to tea.

14:00 pm: Sharp reaction from Will Young to hold onto the catch at short leg to remove Washington Sundar. Glenn Phillips gets his first wicket.

13:51 PM: That is the end of Sarfaraz Khan too and Mitchell Santner has his 5th and 12 for the game. Outstanding. India are 166/6.

13:29 PM: Mitchell Santner sees the back of Kohli as he picks up his 4th and dismisses the star batter for the 2nd time in the game.

13:00 PM: Mitchell Santner with a brilliant throw and Tom Blundell catches Rishabh Pant short. Pant was found a yard short and he has to go for a duck.

12:54 PM: Mitchell Santner makes a vital strike and it’s the massive wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has to go for 77. It’s also ten in the match for the left-arm spinner.

12:28 pm: Shubman Gill gets a start, but has to go for 23 as Mitchell Santner does the trick again.

12:24 pm: Yashasvi Jaiswal gets to his half-century off 41 balls as New Zealand burn both reviews against the left-hander.

11:35 am: The teams head to lunch as India finish with 81/1, with Yashasvi Jaiswal fully on song. But they have lost Rohit Sharma, leaving them with 278 more runs with nine wickets in the shed.

11:22 AM: The single after the maximum from Jaiswal brings the target to below 300.

11:08 am: Mitchell Santner picks up from where he left off. Rohit Sharma is the first to go as he edges one to short leg.

10:49 am: India have raced to 15 in 1.3 overs as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma make their intentions clear.

10:30 am: Brilliant work from Ravindra Jadeja as he catches Will O’Rourke short at the non-striker’s end. India bowl New Zealand out for 255, setting themselves 359 for victory.

10:24 am: The six from Tom Blundell takes New Zealand’s past 350, but they only have one wicket left.

10:08 am: Ravichandran Ashwin this time! He gets his 2nd wicket as Tim Southee edges one to slip. Rohit Sharma takes a good low catch.

10:04 am: New Zealand lose their seventh wicket as Mitchell Santner holes out to long-on. Ravindra Jadeja gets his second wicket of the day, but Kiwis are 340 ahead.

9:50 am: Ravindra Jadeja claims the first wicket of the day, cleans up Tom Blundell, who goes for a solid 41.

9:36 am: Glenn Phillips has smacked two boundaries off Ravichandran Ashwin’s first over of the day. New Zealand’s lead rises to 310.

With a healthy lead of 301 already, New Zealand will aim for even more when day three of the 2nd Test against India begins. The first and second days of the Test have gone the Black Caps' way for the most part as they have come out well-prepared and have looked as a well-drilled side. Hence, they have given themselves a massive shot at conquering one of the toughest assignments in Test cricket history.

As for the Indian team, they have suffered batting collapses in all three innings that they have batted against New Zealand in this series. To topple the 46 all out in the first innings in Bengaluru, followed by losing 54 runs for seven wickets in the second, the home side conceded a lead of 103 on day 2 in Pune, thereby putting New Zealand into the lead.

With the conditions in Pune only likely to get tougher for batting, it remains to be seen how India can spark a comeback.