IND vs NZ: How Mitchell Santner's heroics in Pune exposes a chink in Team India's armour

India were expected to bounce back in style in Pune after suffering an eight-wicket defeat in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. The hosts, after all, had been given a spin-friendly wicket for the second Test at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, and were expected dominate the Black Caps on a pitch that they have traditionally thrived on.

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It was the pace trio of Matt Henry, William O’Rourke and Tim Southee who made the Indian batters dance to their tunes at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the first Test. New Zealand’s historic victory in Pune, however, was the handiwork of Mitchell Santner, who was adjudged the Player of the Match for his 13-wicket haul across three days.

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With his figures of 7/53 on Day 2, the Kiwi left-arm spinner ensured the Black Caps collected a crucial 103-run first innings lead despite being bowled out for 259. Santner would then bamboozle the Indian batting lineup for the second time in three days with figures of 6/104, making sure the Rohit Sharma-led side fell well short of the 359-run target after starting the chase on a spirited note.

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The events in Pune highlights the resilience of the Tom Latham-led New Zealand team that had recently suffered a 0-2 Test series sweep in Sri Lanka before their victory over India. At the same time, it also puts the spotlight on an issue that has plagued the Indian batting lineup in recent years.

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How left-arm spinners have been a thorn in the flesh for India?

Santner is by no means the first left-arm spinner to trouble India this year. Or even the first New Zealand left-arm spinner to run through the star-studded Indian batting lineup in the last three years.

Santner’s teammate Ajaz Patel, who has played both Tests in the ongoing series and collected 2/43 in the fourth innings in Pune, had made history the last time New Zealand toured India, becoming only the third bowler in Test history to collect all 10 wickets in an innings during the second Test in Mumbai.

More recently, Tom Hartley had starred in England’s victory over India in Hyderabad earlier this year by collecting 7/62 on debut, ensuring the hosts were bowled out for 202 after being set 231 to win in the first of five Tests. Hartley would finish the series as England’s leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets at an average of 36.13.

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Similarly, Steve O’Keefe had starred in Australia’s 333-wicket victory over India in Pune in 2017, collecting identical figures of 6/35 across both innings on what was a rank turner prepared for the opening game of the four-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

As for England’s 2-1 triumph in their 2012-13 tour of India, the last time a visiting team had won a Test series in India before New Zealand on Saturday, Monty Panesar had finished the third-highest wicket-taker in the four-match series with 17 wickets at an average of 26.82.

India skipper Rohit has particularly struggled against this type of bowling in home Tests since 2020, getting dismissed by left-arm spinners 11 times with fellow batting stalwart Virat Kohli (9) and Shubman Gill (8) not far behind.

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In Tests that have taken place on Indian soil since February 2021, five of the top 10 wicket-takers are left-arm finger spinners (with left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav also in the list). That includes Hartley, Patel and England’s Jack Leach.