What happened on Day 2 of the 2nd IND vs NZ 2024 Test?
New Zealand played themselves into a commanding position on Day 2 of the second Test against India at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday, October 25. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner registered career-best figures of 7-53 as the Kiwis knocked over India for 156 in their first innings. The visitors went to stumps at 198-5 in their second innings, with a lead of 301 runs.
India resumed their first innings on Day 2 at 16-1 and the overnight batters did well to push the score to 50. Santner, however, trapped Shubman Gill (30) leg before with one that went straight on. In a shocker, Virat Kohli (1) played an ugly slog off a Santner full-toss and was cleaned up. Glenn Phillips ended Yashasvi Jaiswal's (30) resistance by having him caught at slip with a quicker delivery.
India lost half their side for 83 when Rishabh Pant (18) attempted a pull off a delivery from Phillips that wasn't short enough and was knocked over. The procession continued as Sarfaraz Khan (11) miscued a tossed-up delivery off Santner. Ravichandran Ashwin (4) was then trapped in front of the stumps by one that kept low. India went to lunch on Day 2 in big trouble at 107-7.
Ravindra Jadeja top-scored for India with 38 off 46. He, eventually, became Santner's fifth wicket, trapped in front of the stumps with a full ball that turned, skidded and stayed low. The Kiwi left-arm spinner added the scalps of Akash Deep (6) and Jasprit Bumrah (0) as Washington Sundar was stranded on 18*.
Skipper Tom Latham leads New Zealand's charge against India's bowlers in the 2nd innings
Having secured a significant first-innings lead of 103 runs, New Zealand came out to bat with a positive intent in their second innings. Skipper Tom Latham led the way with a fine knock of 86 in 133 balls, which included 10 fours. He stepped out of the crease to spinners and used the sweep efficiently before falling to same stroke against Sundar (4-56).
Latham added 36 for the first wicket with Devon Conway (17) before the latter was trapped lbw by Sundar, attempting the sweep. He would have survived had he taken the DRS as he had edged the ball. The New Zealand captain added 42 for the second wicket with Will Young (23) before the latter was trapped lbw by Ashwin with one that went straight on.
Sundar knocked over Rachin Ravindra (9) for the second time in the Test, while Daryl Mitchell (18) perished to the off-spinner, attempting a big hit. However, Latham and keeper-batter Tom Blundell (30*) added 60 for the fifth wicket to blunt Team India's mini-fightback.