India vs New Zealand 2nd Test Day 2: New Zealand Tightens Grip as Santner and Latham Shine in Pune

India vs New Zealand 2nd Test Day 2 : The second day of the India vs New Zealand Test in Pune was a showcase of New Zealand’s prowess and India’s struggles, as New Zealand built an imposing 301 run lead. The day’s events saw India’s middle order crumble under pressure and Mitchell Santner shine with a 7 wicket haul, putting New Zealand in a commanding position to potentially seal a historic series win in India.

Let’s have a look into more details : India vs New Zealand 2nd Test Day 2

India’s Batting Collapse in the First Session

India began the day at 16/1 after losing Rohit Sharma on Day 1, and it looked like the home side would aim to stabilize their innings with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the crease. However, the morning session proved disastrous for India, as they lost a flurry of wickets quickly:

• Shubman Gill (30 off 72) looked solid initially but was dismissed by a sharp delivery from Santner, breaking a promising 49
• run partnership with Jaiswal.
• Virat Kohli was bowled out by Santner for just a single in a rare dismissal where he missed a full toss.
• Rishabh Pant came in with some aggression but couldn’t hold his ground, falling soon after Jaiswal, who was dismissed by Glenn Phillips post drinks.

By lunch, India found themselves at a precarious 107/7, still trailing by 152 runs. The hosts ultimately folded at 156, giving New Zealand a healthy first innings lead of 103 runs.

Mitchell Santner’s Star Performance

Mitchell Santner was the hero of the day, tearing through India’s lineup with a remarkable 7/53. He showed impressive control, varying his line and length to keep India’s batters guessing. Santner’s efforts were well supported by Glenn Phillips, who picked up two wickets, and Tim Southee, who accounted for the dismissal of Rohit Sharma on Day 1.

Santner’s bowling was instrumental in restricting India to a subpar total, ensuring that New Zealand could extend their advantage when they came out to bat again.

New Zealand’s Steady Second Innings Lead by Latham

New Zealand began their second innings with a substantial lead and batted with confidence, spearheaded by captain Tom Latham’s gritty 86 off 133 balls. Latham, a consistent performer in this Test, reached his half-century off 82 balls and handled India’s spinners with poise. His contribution helped New Zealand end the day at 198/5, adding to their already impressive lead.

Washington Sundar was the standout bowler for India, picking up his 11th wicket of the match, including the critical dismissal of Latham. However, the rest of India’s bowling attack struggled to contain New Zealand’s batters, who played cautiously to extend their lead.

Key Highlights

• Santner’s 7/53 helped dismantle India’s batting lineup, giving New Zealand a strong first-innings lead.
• Tom Latham’s 86 anchored New Zealand’s second innings, taking their lead past the 300 run mark.
• India’s batting faltered, with Virat Kohli dismissed for just 1, adding to the team’s struggles.Sundar’s efforts were notable as he took 11 wickets across the match but found little support from his teammates.

New Zealand’s lead of 301 at stumps puts them in the driver’s seat, with a historic series victory within sight. India will need to step up in both their bowling and batting departments on Day 3 if they hope to avoid a defeat. The resilience of India’s batters will be tested as they face the challenge of either setting a competitive target or trying to survive against a formidable New Zealand attack led by Santner.

With New Zealand so close to an elusive series win on Indian soil, the upcoming day promises more high stakes action. For now, the advantage firmly belongs to the visitors, who have outplayed India in all departments.

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