- The Cricket Diaries: Team India Edition
- Posts
- New Zealand Puts an End to India's 12-Year Undefeated Steak at Home! Takes a 2-0 Unassailable Lead in the Series
New Zealand Puts an End to India's 12-Year Undefeated Steak at Home! Takes a 2-0 Unassailable Lead in the Series
New Zealand have outplayed India in India and have achieved a massive success in their Test cricket legacy. They have taken a 2-0 lead in the 3-match Test series at Pune.
Ashutosh Nayak
October 27, 2024
Welcome to the 40th Edition of The Cricket Diaries!
In the 2nd Test between India and New Zealand, the Blackcaps dominated, securing a historic Test series win—the first visiting team to do so in India in the last 12 years. Here’s how the match unfolded:
Maharashtra Cricket Association, Pune
Day 1:
New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bat. The openers gave NZ a steady start, but Latham fell at 32. Will Young joined Devon Conway, forming a strong partnership before being dismissed for 18. Rachin Ravindra then came to the crease, and with contributions from the top order, New Zealand’s scoreboard looked promising.
However, after lunch, New Zealand collapsed from 197-3 to 259 all out, thanks to Washington Sundar’s impressive 7-wicket haul, which brought India back into the game. Indian openers resumed play but ended the day at 15-1, trailing by 244 runs.
Day 2:
Overnight batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill resumed cautiously. However, Gill was dismissed after scoring 30, and from there, India’s batting order unraveled. India went from 50-2 to 70-4, 83-5, 95-6, and finally 103-7, collapsing for just 156 runs. New Zealand secured a significant 103-run lead.
In their second innings, New Zealand’s openers started aggressively, with Tom Latham scoring a commendable 86, putting India in a tough position. New Zealand ended the day at 198-5, leading by 301 runs.
Day 3:
Indian spinners started Day 3 on a positive note, taking New Zealand’s last five wickets for just 60 runs. With key contributions from Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips, New Zealand set India a target of 359 runs.
India’s second innings began with explosive intent, with Jaiswal hitting a six off the second ball. Rohit Sharma, however, fell cheaply, scoring just 8. Gill joined Jaiswal, and together they built hopes of a victory. But as the ball aged, it began to spin sharply, leading to another batting collapse. Despite a valiant effort by Ravindra Jadeja, India fell short, all out for 245, giving New Zealand a historic Test series win.
This series win marks New Zealand’s first-ever Test series victory in India, with only two prior wins on Indian soil since 1955.
What’s Next?
That wraps up this edition of The Cricket Diaries. The 3rd Test begins on November 1st at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Though the series is decided, India will play for pride and crucial WTC points to solidify their spot in the World Test Championship Final.
Stay tuned, and keep following The Cricket Diaries for more updates!
Reply