Watch cricket video highlights of New Zealand tour of India 2024. Second test between India and New Zealand. Venue of the match will be Pune.
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Washington Sundar was not even in this Test team three days ago, having scored a century and taken two three-fors against Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. He was included in the XI ahead of the current spinner (Kuldeep Yadav) and the backup (Axar Patel) and grabbed seven wickets on the opening day of a Test against New Zealand, bowling them out for 259. Five of his victims were bowled, one LBW, and one caught as he grabbed the final seven wickets, following three taken by Tamil Nadu teammate R Ashwin.
While this was Washington’s first Test five-for and his greatest numbers in first-class cricket, Ashwin’s three wickets propelled him beyond Nathan Lyon’s 530 in 25 less matches. The two may face off later this year in Australia, but for the time being, India is fighting to keep its 18-series winning streak going at home. Washington proved to be exactly the ally he required. India called up a second offspinner from outside the squad, ostensibly to lengthen their batting while keeping the ball away from left-hand batters, but two left-hand batters in the top order.
Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra – still scored fifties and threatened to lead New Zealand to a big total after winning the toss on a track where batting last won’t be fun. New Zealand were 138 for 2 when Ashwin got Conway, and 197 for 3 when Washington got Ravindra. As the series progressed from Bengaluru to Pune, the clouds, seams, and additional bounce faded. There was no idea of “good-toss-to-lose” here. Nothing is easy in Test cricket, but the openers cruised to 30 in seven overs.
But Ashwin was inserted early, and it took him only five balls to slide one in and then spin it past the outside edge to lbw Tom Latham. There was some turn from the excellent section of the pitch, but it wasn’t consistent. The alliance between Conway and Will Young appeared menacing, but a rapid review needed by the short leg Sarfaraz Khan returned a tiny touch of the glove, sending Young back. Now Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja continued to trouble the batters: in 11 overs, they pulled 24 false shots while conceding only 30 runs.
After lunch, India opened with Jasprit Bumrah and Washington, and the runs flowed freely: 35 from eight overs. Ashwin initially established control, then took Conway’s wicket. The ball twisted again, but this time it was the drift and dip that took Conway out of position, and the turn gave the impression that he was pushing a ball he didn’t need to play. Ravindra, who was named Player of the Match in Bengaluru, provided much-needed stability for New Zealand after Daryl Mitchell struggled at the start of his innings.
He survived an LBW on umpire’s call, attempted hazardous sweeps of both types, and only appeared to be at ease after around 20 balls. Ravindra, however, offered the bowlers nothing. Akash Deep came close to catching him at short midwicket, but the hit was too powerful for a defender to grab so close. An outside edge after two bouncers beat slip and brought him up to fifty. Ten minutes before tea, and in his third spell, Washington began to get it right. The opening ball of this spell turned from middle to off, passing Ravindra’s bat and striking the top of off.
Things started to happen now, as balls went straight on or turned from the same position. The penultimate ball before tea beat Tom Blundell’s outside edge, and the final one, slower and broader, returned through the gate to claim top of the middle. After tea, Washington bowled in all his splendor, at the stumps but with varying spin from the pitch. Mitchell was dismissed by an inspired review, with the offspinner obtaining a lbw from over the wicket while the batsman was forward. As it turned out, this had rotated just enough to hit him in the proper spot while also removing the leg stump.
Glenn Phillips, tied down and constantly returning to full balls, completed his 9-off-31 battle with a chip straight to deep mid-off. If you had just seen the shot and not the field, you may have assumed the mid-off was tight and he was simply attempting to clear him. Mitchell Santner smashed two sixes in his battling 33, but Washington continued hitting the stumps at the other end. Tim Southee moved wide on the crease from around the wicket. The angle beat the outer edge and struck the top of off. Ajaz Patel got caught with a full ball and continued playing.
To cap off his performance, Washington delivered another gem to account for the set batter, Santner: one that pitched on middle and off and took the top of off. New Zealand was unable to cope with the accuracy, changes in velocity, and seam position, which were aided by the pitch. With only 10 overs to bat till stumps, India abandoned part of their ultra-aggressive style from the previous two Tests. Still, Southee swung and seamed one past Rohit Sharma’s attentive bat to grab the lead. A brief moment of elation for New Zealand at the conclusion of a difficult session.
