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NEW DELHI : The inglorious end of India's proud home record has left the cricket-mad nation grappling with the reality it has long been dreading - that ageing stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma might be approaching the end of the road.
Team India faced a shocking 113-run defeat against New Zealand in the second Test in Pune. This loss turned out to be a historic one as New Zealand gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and ended India's 12-year-old winning streak at home in Test cricket. In the second Test, India needed 359 runs to win but they got bundled out for 245 as the Kiwi spinner Mitchell Santner wreaked havoc with his six-wicket haul. Apart from this loss, another major concern for Rohit Sharma and co is the poor form of star batter Virat Kohli.
Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull attributed India's shocking series defeat to their batsmen's inadequacies against spin bowling but he was not ready to write off underwhelming star batter Virat Kohli. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner grabbed 13 wickets as the Kiwis walloped India by 113 runs in the second Test here on Saturday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. “There's a misconception that Indian players are better players of spin. I think they've had better spinners and they've been able to expose the opposition batters. But in this Test (at Pune), their batters were exposed a little bit by a very, very good performance from Mitchell Santner,” Doull told PTI Videos.
India's star batters have lost a lot of confidence over the years by playing on rank turners, with their home averages taking a beating and affecting their careers adversely, feels former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Harbhajan said Ajinkya Rahane is a case in point after India lost their first Test series in 12 years. On a Pune turner against New Zealand, India lost a crucial toss and managed only 156 and 245 with the Black Caps' lead spinner Mitchell Santner taking 13 wickets. "If you have had great record at home for so long and if you lose, obviously there will be chatter. Credit to New Zealand for playing the way they did and these were alien conditions and also not a pitch where wear and tear was natural.
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed dissapointment with Team India's batting during their shambolic loss to New Zealand in the second Test at Pune, which led to the hosts' first-ever series loss at home in 12 years. Indian batters got the taste of their own medicine as the Kiwi spin attack led by Mitchell Santner, who took 13 wickets in the match, trapped the hosts in their own spin trap and defeated India by 113 runs to secure the series 2-0 with a game to go.
Batting maestro Virat Kohli was visibly heartbroken after his dismissal on Day 3 of the second Test against New Zealand, which India lost by 113 runs in Pune to concede the series. He was dismissed on 17 by Mitchell Santner, sparking an India batting collapse. With a mammoth target of 359 in front of them, India needed Kohli to stand tall with the Rohit Sharma and others already back in the hut. While Kohli did get a decent start, he was undone by a beautiful delivery from Santer, who got it to zip quickly off the surface. The ball hit him straight in front of the leg stump and umpire Richard Illingworth raised his finger.
Mitchell Santner played through the pain barrier as New Zealand secured their maiden series win in India going back to 1955 and the left-arm spinner said picking up wickets regularly in the second test had helped him persevere.
After India's 12-year unbeaten streak in the home Test series came to a stunning end as New Zealand clinched a historic 2-0 lead with a 113-run victory at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium skipper Rohit Sharma acknowledged his team's shortcomings saying, "we failed to respond to the pressure". Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner weaved magic with his 6-104 in the second innings on Saturday as New Zealand did the unimaginable by clinching a historic Test series win in India for the first time with a 113-run victory over the hosts. Santner, who took 7-53 in the first innings, rattled India yet again with a remarkable spell of 6-104 to end up with match figures of 13-157, the third-best match figures for a bowler from his country in Tests.