India’s Plan for Spin-Heavy Pitch Backfires as Santner Wreaks Havoc with 7 Wickets in Pune Test
In Pune, Team India’s strategy to baffle the opposition on a turning track took an unexpected turn, as India itself succumbed to the spin maze set by Kiwi spinner Mitchell Santner. On Friday morning, India lost six key batters in one session, with big names like Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill falling victim to Santner’s spell. By the lunch break, India was already in trouble at 107 runs, and shortly after, their innings collapsed at a modest total of 156 runs. This feat marked Santner’s first time taking seven wickets in an innings on Indian soil.
Following their recent loss in Bengaluru, India opted to prepare a slow-turning pitch in Pune, hoping it would put pressure on the New Zealand team. The plan seemed promising on Day 1 when Washington Sundar claimed seven wickets, creating early pressure. However, India lost captain Rohit Sharma’s wicket late on Day 1, setting the stage for an even more challenging Day 2. The Indian lineup, with rising stars Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, struggled to steady the innings. Both managed only 30 runs each before falling to Santner’s spin.
Indian Batting Order Fails Against Spin
While Santner’s clever bowling dismantled the Indian side, it was also a day of poor shot selection for the Indian team. Virat Kohli’s brief innings saw him dismissed for just 1 run, and neither Sarfaraz Khan, who scored a century in the previous match, nor Rishabh Pant, with 99 runs in the last innings, could make an impact, scoring only 11 and 18 runs, respectively. Ravichandran Ashwin also faltered, adding just 4 runs to the scoreboard. The aggressive shot selections backfired, as both Sarfaraz and Pant gave away their wickets cheaply.
Collapse After Lunch
India’s struggles continued post-lunch. From a pre-lunch score of 107, they managed to add only 49 more runs before being all out at 156. The first innings ended with India trailing by a significant 103 runs. Santner’s brilliance was complemented by Glenn Phillips, who added two wickets of his own, further stalling India’s efforts.