[Watch] How substitute fielder Mitchell Santner won INR 1,00,000 for saving a 6 in India vs New Zealand 2021 Mumbai Test
Mitchell Santner originally wasn't awarded a spot in the New Zealand playing XI for the second Test match against India. However, he received a prize of ₹1 lakh for coming to the field as a substitute and saving five runs for his team.
The incident happened in the 47th over of India's first innings, which William Somerville bowled. Shreyas Iyer smacked the ball hard towards the deep mid-wicket region. It seemed like the ball would sail over the boundary line, but substitute fielder Mitchell Santner pulled off an incredible save.
Thanks to Santner's effort, Shreyas Iyer only got one run off that fantastic shot. Since he saved five runs for his team, Santner won the Best Save of the Match award at the post-match presentation.
You can watch that save in the video below from the 4:20 mark.
Mitchell Santner captained New Zealand in the final match of the T20I series against India played before the Test series, but he did not play a single game in the latter. The team management picked William Somerville, Ajaz Patel and Rachin Ravindra as the three spin-bowling options in the playing XI.
William Somerville failed to impress in Mitchell Santner's absence
New Zealand picked right-arm off-spinner William Somerville in their playing XI for both Test matches against India. While left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel finished as the most successful bowler of the series, his teammate Somerville could not pick up a single wicket in the same conditions.
The 37-year-old bowled 69 overs in four innings, conceding 237 runs at an economy rate of 3.43. Somerville had the most expensive economy rate among the bowlers who bowled a minimum of 50 overs in the series.
Somerville ▶️ Shreyas ▶️ Into the stands 🚀😌
Back to back sixes and he has started brilliantly 🔥
#INDvNZ