New Zealand have made history by winning their first Test series in India, clinching the second match with a 113-run victory in Pune on Saturday.
This win not only marked New Zealand’s first-ever Test series triumph on Indian soil since the series began in 1955 but also ends India's remarkable record of 18 consecutive home series wins, a streak that had been unbroken since December 2012.
Chasing a target of 359 runs, India was bowled out for 245 on day three, giving New Zealand an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The home crowd was left in stunned silence as spinner Mitchell Santner dominated the Indian batting lineup, taking six wickets for 104 runs after previously claiming 7 for 53 in India's first innings of 156.
Skipper Tom Latham expressed immense pride in his team’s achievement, stating, “Lot of New Zealand teams have come over the past 69 years and 13 series, and to be the first team to win a series here is special.” The victory is particularly sweet for the Black Caps, who had previously faced 13 series defeats in India.
Player of the Match Santner reflected on his performance, noting, “Every time you take wickets you get a little more confident... it got a little better.” The Indian batsmen struggled throughout the series, with their batting line-up failing to perform, leading to their lowest total at home of just 46 runs in the first match in Bengaluru.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating, “It is a collective failure... We had two-three bad innings, but it happens sometimes.” Despite this setback, India still leads the World Test Championship table, closely followed by Australia.
The final Test match of the series will commence on November 1 at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, where India will look to salvage pride against a historically victorious New Zealand side.
