MITCHELL Santner took seven wickets on a turning pitch in Pune to lead New Zealand's bowling effort, dismissing India for 156 on the second day of the second Test on Friday.
India, resuming at 16-1 in response to New Zealand’s 259, struggled with the bat and were all out in the second session, trailing by 103 runs.
Ravindra Jadeja added a quick 38 before Santner trapped him lbw, marking his first five-wicket haul in 29 Test appearances. Santner went on to claim two more wickets to wrap up India’s innings, giving New Zealand a chance to pursue their first Test series win on Indian soil after taking the opening match in the three-Test series.
Overnight batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill made a cautious start before Santner made his mark in the day’s 11th over, trapping Gill lbw for 30 with a delivery that went straight on.
The crowd was silenced as Santner took the prized wicket of Kohli, who was bowled by a low full toss. Glenn Phillips then struck with his fourth delivery, dismissing Jaiswal for 30, caught at slip. Phillips later bowled Rishabh Pant for 18, reducing India to 83-5.
Santner dismissed Sarfaraz Khan, the centurion from the last match, for 11, caught at mid-on, and then trapped Ravichandran Ashwin lbw for four.
In the first innings, Sundar marked his Test return with 7-59, restricting New Zealand to 259, aided by solid innings from Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65).
New Zealand’s win last week was their first Test victory in India since 1988.
(With inputs from AFP)
