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New Zealand's left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner delivered an exceptional performance in Pune, taking 13 wickets to end India's long-standing dominance in home Tests. With this match-winning display, Santner now ranks among the top match figures by a visiting bowler in India.
Santner's remarkable 13/157 helped New Zealand secure a historic series victory, marking the first time since 2012 that India has lost a Test series at home. According to *Wisden*, in the second Test, Santner achieved his career's first five-wicket haul, claiming seven wickets in the first innings alone. It was the first time the Test veteran had taken more than three wickets in an innings, coming in his 29th Test match; his previous best was 3/34 against South Africa earlier this year. On a spin-friendly pitch, Santner's controlled pace and accuracy proved decisive. His first-innings haul of 7/53 dismantled India's batting order, and he maintained his dominance in the second innings with figures of 6/104, delivering 29 consecutive overs. India's chase, led by Yashasvi Jaiswal's quickfire 77 off 65 balls, fell 103 runs short as Santner's tight bowling and a crucial run-out of Rishabh Pant for a duck sealed New Zealand's victory. Santner's match figures of 13/157 place him third among visiting bowlers in India. England's Ian Botham took 13/106 in 1980, holding the second spot, while Santner's compatriot Ajaz Patel tops the list with 14/225 in 2021, which included a rare 10-wicket haul in an innings. Santner's figures are also the third-best by a New Zealand bowler in Test history, following Ajaz Patel's 14-wicket feat and Richard Hadlee's 15/123 against Australia in 1985-86. His performance cements his place among New Zealand's finest Test bowlers and adds another memorable chapter to their Test cricket history. (ANI)
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