New Delhi: Mitchell Santner bagged back-to-back fifers to record his maiden ten-wicket match haul in Tests to spin New Zealand to a thumping 113-run victory in the 2nd Test against India at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday, October 26. Santner wreaked havoc on the Indian batting line-up in both their innings on a spin-friendly deck in Pune to help New Zealand register their first-ever Test series victory with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing series.
New Zealand brought an end to India’s unbeaten streak in 18 straight Test series at home, handing the hosts their first series defeat in 12 years. Santner was the star for the Kiwis as he picked up an impressive 13 wickets in India’s two innings combined to help his team complete their first test series victory on Indian soil.
India dished out a rank turner in Pune aiming to bounce back strongly after their crushing defeat in the series opener in Bengaluru. However, the spin ploy ended up backfiring spectacularly as a spirited New Zealand spin attack led by Santner took the game away from the hosts. Santner finished with brilliant figures of 7/53 in to hep New Zealand bundle out India for a paltry 153 in their first innings before continuing his dream run with the ball in the 2nd innings.
In pursuit of a 359-run target in their second innings, India were in a strong spot at one stage after a fifty-plus stand between Yashavi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill on Day 3 on Saturday. However, Santner got rid of both to turn the game on its head and put New Zealand on top. He ran through the Indian batting line-up once again, picking up a six-fer to help the Kiwis bundle out the hosts for 245 runs and secure an emphatic win.
Bishan Singh Bedi’s prediction from 2016
As Santner made the Indian batters dance to his tunes in Pune, the legendary Bishan Singh Bedi’s prediction for the New Zealand all-rounder from 2016 came true. In 2106, Bedi had predicted Santner to become a match-winner for the Kiwis in the future after watching him bowl for the first time in a Test match between India and New Zealand in Kanpur.
Veteran sports journalist Vijay Lokapally recalled the incident from 2016 when Bedi had asked to meet Santner and speak to him after witnessing him bowl in the Kanpur Test between India and New Zealand. The left-arm spinner was playing only his 8th Test for New Zealand and took 5 wickets in the game. Bedi, one of the world’s best left-arm spinners of all time, had predicted Santner to be a future match-winner for the Kiwis.
Want to share Mr. Bishan Singh Bedi’s vision. After the first day’s play in Kanpur in 2016, he called me. “I want to speak with (Mitchell) Santner. He is a match-winner.” I connected Mr. Bedi with the NZ manager. Today, I remembered Bedi sir. He could spot a match-winner,.
— Vijay Lokapally 🇮🇳 (@vijaylokapally) October 26, 2024
Santner made late Bishan Singh Bedi’s prediction come true during the Pune Test as he made the most of the conditions on offer to consistently trouble the Indian batters and pick up wickets at regular intervals to win a historic Test match for his team. Santner’s fifer in India’s first innings was his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
He went on to make it two fifers in a row in the same Test match and finished with his best-ever match haul of 13 wickets to single-handedly propel New Zealand to a famous win.
