New Zealand are sitting at the threshold of ending India's invincible run at home as they hold the aces after the end of Day 2 in the Pune test. After bowling India out for a mere 156, the visitors are piling up a mountain to climb for the Men in Blue, ending the day on 198/5 with a lead of 301.
Captain Tom Latham was the star with the bat and slammed 86 before getting dismissed by the returning Washington Sundar. He kept the flow of runs going and found partners for a few crucial mini-stands to keep hurting the hosts. While the Indians have got five wickets down, the Kiwis are much ahead. Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips went back unbeaten on 30 and nine, respectively to mark it a sensational day for New Zealand. For India, Washington Sundar starred with the ball yet again, taking four of the five wickets to fall.
The Kiwis have tasted the Indians their own medicine as they starred on a turning track of Pune. The day began with India on 16/1 and the overnight pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill carrying the team forward. They saw off the initial half of the opening session but in a bid to survive, the hosts kept losing wickets. Mitchell Santner was the chief destructor, having taken seven wickets, his first fifer in Test cricket. While some batters were dismissed while looking to survive, the others were gone while trying to force the issue.
There were no notable partnerships as the wickets kept tumbling. Ravindra Jadeja was the leading run-scorer of the innings as he made 38.
Earlier, New Zealand made 259 in the first innings. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra were the stars with the bat in the first innings as they made 76 and 65, respectively. Ravi Ashwin took three wickets in the first essay but could not create a huge impact other than that. Sundar was the star with the ball for India as he took a seven-wicket haul on his return to Test cricket after three and a half years.
India now sit on the brink of losing their invincible record at home. They have not been defeated in a home Test series since 2012 but that record might now be broken by a team that went down to Sri Lanka 2-0 very recently.
