New Zealand's historic first in 70 years ends India's 18-series home streak: Mitchell Santner runs riot

India's remarkable home streak of 18 consecutive series wins in Test cricket came to an end on Saturday as New Zealand secured a convincing 100-run victory in the second Test match at Pune's Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. Mitchell Santner starred for the visitors with a five-wicket haul in both innings, achieving his best-ever figures in First-Class cricket. This historic win marked New Zealand's first series victory in India since their inaugural tour to the country back in 1955.

India's defiance ended in the opening 10 overs of the second session on Day 3 of the match after Yashasvi Jaiswal gave the home team a glimmer of hope with his intent-filled knock of 77 off 65 before Lunch. Santner, who picked up a seven-wicket haul to record his best-career figures in an innings in First-Class cricket, removed the opener and Shubman Gill in quick succession to end a threatening fifty-run stand for the second wicket, before a brain fade moment from Rishabh Pant ended in his run out for a score of duck.

The left-arm orthodox then got rid of Virat Kohli for the second time in the Test match to put the final nail in the coffin for India en route to his second five-wicket haul in the contest. The rest of the line-up crumbled in quick time as India lost six wickets in the second session for 97 runs.

In the final session, Ravichandran Ashwin was quick to depart on 18, and while Akash Deep (1 off 24) showed signs of grit and patience, he couldn't suppress the urge to open his arms on a short-pitched delivery, smashing it for an easy catch for Rachin Ravindra. Ravindra Jadeja (42) was the final wicket to fall, as New Zealand completed a brilliant win.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand’s resolve to add as many runs as they could to their overnight score of 198/5 met a swift end when the play resumed as Ravichandran Ashwin (2/97) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/72) scripted a quick downfall. Barring Glenn Phillips, who was left stranded in 48 off 82, none among Tim Southee (0), Mitchell Santner (4) and Ajaz Patel (1) could trouble the scorers as Kiwis folded for 255 in 69.4 overs inside the first hour’s play.

Santner sparked an early hope for New Zealand with the dismissal of skipper Rohit Sharma (8), but Jaiswal had other plans. Having survived a first-ball scare off a delivery from Southee, he went all guns blazing, smashing three sixes and as many fours to leave India at 86 for one at Lunch.

Since the shocking loss to England in the 2012/13 series home, courtesy of the heroics of Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, India never incurred a similar fate at home over the next 12 years, giving rise to the greatest ever winning streak by a Test team on home soil of 18 series wins. The next longest series-winning streak at home is 10 series by Australia between 1994-2000 and 2004-2008.

India's streak began by defeating Australia in 2013, whom they beat two more times over the course of this glorious run, before exacting their revenge over England in 2016 and beating them two more times in 2021 and 2024. Their other victories came against Bangladesh (3), New Zealand (2), West Indies (2), South Africa (2), Sri Lanka (2), and Afghanistan (1).

There was little anticipation over the series against New Zealand, with the visitors having suffered a whitewash in Sri Lanka last month. Much like the Bangladesh contest, this series too was considered, as the narrative went in the build-up to the contest, a preparatory event for the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Test series in Australia next month. But New Zealand came like a bolt from the blue, leaving India in tatters.

Last week, on Sunday, New Zealand scripted their first Test victory in India after 36 years, and third overall, since their maiden visit to the country in 1955. They won the series opener by eight wickets in the rain-interrupted match in Bengaluru.

Rohit sent a sharp reminder of India's ability to bounce back from first-Test lows at home - whether it was the series against England earlier this year, or the 2017 Border-Gavaskar series at home. But even on a turning track in Pune, rolled out to rattle the visitors, India were stunned as New Zealand won for the second consecutive time to seal their first-ever series win in the country.

The third and final Test of the series will be played in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, starting November 1.