New Zealand became the first side to win a Test series in India in twelve years on Saturday, October 26. Mitchell Santner created havoc in the second game in Pune, taking 13 wickets to secure the series after they had initially outplayed the hosts in Bengaluru. The Rohit Sharma-led team had a terrible performance with the bat and the ball, and they have a lot of issues to fix before the third Test match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
Following the series victory, New Zealand captain Tom Latham said that India is still a strong team and that a few poor performances won’t define them. He went on to say that every team has difficult periods, and the hosts have a team full of game-winners. But the 32-year-old believes India will bounce back from the loss fast and be a threat in the series finale.
“Look, India is a strong side; they don’t turn into a bad team overnight or after a couple of games. It was nice that it happened so soon. They have a group that has won a lot of games, ranging from 1 to 15, and depending on the game we play, you may end up on the losing side even if you play well. “The guys will be looking forward to that challenge,” Latham stated at the news conference following the game. “We’ll definitely expect them to be at their best in Mumbai.”
Lauding Mitchell Santner, Tom Latham
Mitchell Santner, a spinner who was outstanding in Pune, was praised by Latham. He helped New Zealand win by a resounding 113 runs with a seven-wicket haul in the first innings and a six-fer in the second. Latham emphasised the importance of Santner to the Test team after the match and mentioned how his IPL experience with the Chennai Super Kings had aided him.
“Mitch has been with the Chennai Super Kings for a long time, has been a member of our team for a long time, has played a fair amount of Test cricket, and we are aware of his skill level.
Also Read: Sachin Tendulkar congratulates Mitchell Santner and Co. on their “phenomenal achievement”
The team is very happy of him for coming here and bowling the way he has over the past few days, and we know what he can do,” he said.
India
