Santner's Record-Breaking 13-Wicket Haul Ends India’s Home Winning Streak Since 2012

New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner delivered an exceptional performance, taking 13 wickets across both innings, as New Zealand claimed a decisive 112-run victory over India in the second Test in Pune. The loss marks India’s first series defeat at home in 12 years, breaking a 18-series winning streak. New Zealand’s disciplined approach with both bat and ball proved decisive, especially with Santner’s 7-53 in the first innings and a further 6-104 in the second.

After India was left needing 181 runs post-Tea on Day 3, all hopes rested on Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to anchor the innings, but Santner dismissed Ashwin, sealing the breakthrough New Zealand needed. Despite a gritty 42-run effort from Jadeja, India’s lower-order struggled against the Black Caps' spin attack, with Ajaz Patel and Santner taking the last few wickets to complete the game.

Winning the toss, New Zealand capitalized on a dry, spinning pitch in Pune, and half-centuries from Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65) set a foundation for a strong first-innings score, despite Washington Sundar’s brilliant 7-59 in his comeback game. However, India’s reply was lackluster; batters struggled to counter Santner’s skillful variations, losing their way with timid shots and ending the innings with a 103-run deficit.

In New Zealand's second innings, captain Tom Latham (86) led the way, while Sundar again stepped up with timely breakthroughs. However, with New Zealand’s lead growing beyond 300, the outcome looked inevitable. Yashasvi Jaiswal's explosive 77 gave India a glimmer of hope, but Santner once again proved too much to handle, dismissing key batters and solidifying his 13-wicket match haul. With this victory, New Zealand became the first team since England in 2012 to win a series in India, cementing their place in history.