India are facing an almighty battle to avoid their first home series defeat since 2012 after New Zealand took firm control on day two of the second Test in Pune.
India – beaten by eight wickets in the series opener at Bengaluru after being rolled for 46 – trail New Zealand by 301 runs with the Black Caps 198-5 in their second innings and eyeing their maiden Test series win in India.
The hosts were skittled for 156 in their first innings with New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner taking 7-53, including Virat Kohli (1).
Kiwi skipper Tom Latham (86) then further strengthened the tourists’ grip, meaning India have it all to do to preserve their proud home record ahead of next week’s third and final Test in Mumbai.
England were the last away side to win a Test series in India, triumphing 2-1 in 2012 under the captaincy of Sir Alastair Cook.
Since then, India have won 18 series in a row on their own turf, most recently defeating Bangladesh 2-0 this autumn after a 4-1 victory over England at the start of the year.
Santner stars as New Zealand dominate in Pune
India slumped from 50-1 against New Zealand after Santner pinned Shubman Gill (30) lbw to end a 49-run stand with Yasashvi Jaiswal (30) – Gill earlier survived a close lbw decision on 10.
The hosts lost their last nine wickets for 106 runs with top-scorer Ravindra Jadeja (38) the only other batter to pass 18.
Kohli was out ninth ball, bowled by a Santner full toss hacking across the line, a dismissal that stunned the home crowd into silence.
New Zealand began their second innings with a lead of 103 after making 259 first time around and Latham extended that advantage while wickets fell intermittently to spin at the other end.
Latham shared a 60-run partnership with Tom Blundell (30) from 123-4, a stand which ended when the captain fell lbw by Washington Sundar as the India off-spinner claimed his fourth wicket of the innings and 11th of the match.
Sundar’s exploits could very well come in vain, though, with India needing something special in their second innings.
