Pune: India’s 18-Series Home Winning Streak Ends as New Zealand Secures Historic Victory
Reported by Varad Bhatkhande
Pune, 26th October 2024: India’s remarkable 18-series home winning streak, the longest in Test cricket history, came to an end on Saturday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. New Zealand secured a commanding 100-run victory in the second Test, marking their first series win on Indian soil since their debut in 1955. Mitchell Santner played a pivotal role, claiming five wickets in both innings, achieving his best First-Class cricket figures.
India’s resistance crumbled early in the second session on Day 3, despite a promising start from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 77 off 65 balls before lunch. Santner’s exceptional spell, including a seven-wicket haul, saw him quickly dismiss Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, breaking a crucial partnership. Rishabh Pant was run out for a duck, further compounding India’s struggles, and Santner once again removed Virat Kohli, for the second time in the match. India collapsed, losing six wickets for just 97 runs in the second session.
In the final session, Ravichandran Ashwin was dismissed for 18, while Akash Deep showed some resilience but fell trying a big shot. Ravindra Jadeja, who top-scored with 42, became the final wicket as New Zealand celebrated their historic victory.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand resumed at 198/5 but quickly lost their remaining wickets, with Ashwin (2/97) and Jadeja (3/72) contributing to a swift collapse. Apart from Glenn Phillips, who scored 48, the rest of the New Zealand batting lineup struggled, and they were bowled out for 255 within the first hour of play.
Santner set the tone for New Zealand with the early dismissal of Rohit Sharma (8), but Jaiswal counter-attacked with aggressive strokes, hitting three sixes and three fours, leaving India at 86 for one at lunch.
India’s streak began with a series win against Australia in 2013, and over the last decade, they had remained undefeated at home, securing victories against teams like England, Bangladesh, New Zealand, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. This streak now stands as the longest in Test cricket, surpassing Australia’s 10-series home winning streaks (1994-2000, 2004-2008).
Expectations for this series were low after New Zealand’s recent struggles, including a whitewash in Sri Lanka. Many saw this series as preparation for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series against Australia. However, New Zealand’s unexpected resurgence has left India reeling.
Last week, New Zealand clinched their first Test victory in India in 36 years, winning the series opener by eight wickets in a rain-affected match in Bengaluru.
Rohit Sharma had earlier emphasized India’s strength on home soil, but even on a spin-friendly Pune pitch, India couldn’t recover, allowing New Zealand to secure their historic series win.
The final Test of the series will be held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, starting November 1.
