Explore the details of Mitchell Santner’s extraordinary 13-wicket performance that secured a historic win for New Zealand in India, marking a significant achievement.
Introduction:
In one of the most spectacular bowling performances by a visiting spinner, New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner went down in cricket history with a phenomenal 13-wicket haul, guiding his team to a historic win in Pune. With match figures of 13 for 157, Santner’s performance was the third-best by any visiting bowler in India, and New Zealand claimed its first series win on Indian soil while ending India’s undefeated home series streak since 2012.
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Santner’s Spell Breaks the Tally
For Santner, known for accuracy and versatility, this was one game which could boast of the best on his personal charts. Here Santner broke his earlier personal tally of three wickets per innings. Bowling 29 continuous overs while India batted in the second innings saw him add six wickets to the seven taken off the first innings. While it kept India on its toes, Santner’s continuing bowling spell went down into history as giving New Zealand a rare, monumental win.
In the first innings, Santner’s unbroken 19.3 overs reaped for him a sensational 7 for 53. Despite being sore in the side, Santner missed only one over since he began bowling, which typified New Zealand’s tenacity as he dismantled the Indian batting order with variations in pace, angle and exceptional control. This continuity and stamina helped New Zealand limit India’s attempt at chasing a daunting target of 359.
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India’s Fiery Start and Santner’s Resilience
India started its chase with fireworks, as Yashasvi Jaiswal continued to plunder 77 off 65 balls and took India to 96 for 1 at a rapid rate. New Zealand was put under a lot of pressure due to the aggressive start made by Jaiswal. Santner, however, did not let his side down. Patel and Glenn Phillips failed to curb the flow of runs, while Santner stood firm and continuously created chances. The eventual snaring of Jaiswal meant that this was a huge blow in favour of New Zealand.
Strategic Bowling and Main Breakthroughs
Santner was very strategic and structured in his bowling, again and again defeating India’s batting line-up in the air and also disturbing the timing of batsmen. It was a game plan for him on how to bring forward defenses on the board, subtly altering his pace, and using all the conditions of the spin-friendly Pune pitch in his favour. When India triggered a mini-collapse, taking five New Zealand wickets for just 24 runs, Santner stepped in to stem the bleeding, and he was rewarded with his first ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
Even the experienced batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, could not stand the trickery of Santner in terms of turn and bounce. Rohit went to get dismissed when a well-flighted ball from Santner straight hit into the hands of pad. A flat ball kept low got Gill trapped as well; that helped Daryl Mitchell grab the edge at slip. Such dismissals on time broke India’s batting lineup balance, tilting the game towards New Zealand.
One-Man Show Under Pressure
Traditionally less successful with their New Zealand counterparts on subcontinental pitches, most of the burden lay in the hands of Santner to take matters in hand against India, so this high-stakes encounter became quite high-tensioned too. India began to seemingly gather pace under the efforts of his persistent and tactics-witted play that placed India’s batsmen into a defensive mode under varied Santner deliveries. He got Indians’ batsmen making mistake under pressure. This tenacity was especially evident as he took Kohli’s wicket, trapping him leg-before with a ball that kept low and hit Kohli on the back foot.
Resolute Fielding and Team Effort Seals the Win
The Kiwis batted also flawlessly, but more so when in the field. Daryl Mitchell sharp takes at slip and a stunning catch by Will Young off a shot at short leg were big breakthroughs that changed the scenario. Santner lured R Ashwin to drive on this occasion where an edge came off straight to Daryl Mitchell to leave one of India’s final threats fallen.
The Indian lower order managed a late flurry, with Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja adding 39 runs for the eighth wicket. However, Santner remained undeterred, breaking the partnership with a teasing delivery to Ashwin. The final wickets fell through outfield catches off Ajaz Patel’s bowling, preserving Santner’s record as the best visiting bowler in India.
Santner’s Legacy and Impact on New Zealand Cricket
Santner’s 13-wicket effort in Pune will be spoken about for years to come as one of the best bowling displays by a New Zealand spinner in cricket’s history. Beyond this match, though, he has set the new bar for New Zealand’s spinners in subcontinental conditions that are usually so difficult. That historic win also marks the rise of New Zealand as an international cricketing force underlined by Santner’s guts and ability.
Conclusion:
It showed how, with a focused and disciplined approach, one can overcome the odds against even a powerhouse like India in their own conditions. The adaptability of Santner on a challenging pitch and his role in one of New Zealand’s most memorable Test wins established him as a world-class spinner.