Pune: In a historic triumph, New Zealand has achieved its first Test series victory in India, breaking the home nation’s remarkable unbeaten streak that had lasted an astounding 18 series over 12 years. This significant milestone amplifies the disparities in cricket globally, contrasting the dominance of cricket’s Big Three—Australia, England, and India—against other Test nations which often struggle to compete.
New Zealand’s left-arm spinner, Mitchell Santner, celebrated passionately as he claimed the crucial wicket of India’s promising batsman, Yashasvi Jaiswal, in Pune. (AFP)
With only a modest pool of players available for selection, New Zealand cricket faces challenges in retaining its talent, as many players are drawn towards lucrative franchise cricket opportunities. The emergence of ‘casual contracts’ has led to a situation where players seamlessly navigate between national duties and T20 leagues, a trend that has now become standard practice.
Amidst this backdrop, New Zealand meticulously assembled a 16-member squad aimed at disrupting India’s formidable Test team. This squad was built on a foundation of robust feeder programs and a relentless winning mentality, especially when facing unfamiliar conditions abroad. In contrast, Australia’s strategy remained aggressive as they sought to mimic success; they even enlisted a spinner from Baroda to prepare for India’s premier off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin. However, their efforts were ultimately insufficient, leading to a series defeat as India clinched the victory 2-1.
Earlier this year, England attempted to utilize the innovative ‘Bazball’ approach against India. Their strategy included fast-tracking off-spinner Shoaib Bashir—who had only 10 County wickets at an average of 67—hoping to leverage his delivery style on Indian pitches to gain an advantage against the spinners. Although this strategy bore fruit initially as England secured a win in the first Test, they eventually succumbed to a crushing 4-1 series loss as India regrouped.
New Zealand’s path to success was characterized by a thorough, organized plan involving rigorous preparation, an in-depth understanding of Indian playing conditions, and extensive application of their white-ball experience gained from the IPL into Test cricket scenarios. Their strategic finesse paid dividends.
“Having two Test matches in Sri Lanka…nothing prepares you like playing hard Test cricket. Being there beforehand and understanding similar conditions in terms of playing spin certainly helped,” remarked New Zealand’s captain Tom Latham following the team’s remarkable win by 113 runs on Saturday.
Prior to arriving in Sri Lanka, talented batter Rachin Ravindra, who performed notably with scores of 65 in Pune and 134 and 39* in Bengaluru, dedicated time at the Chennai Super Kings academy. His aim was to adapt to varying soil conditions and solidify different tactical approaches to combat spin effectively.
Mitchell Santner, whose impressive performance yielded 13 wickets in Pune—even after just 28 Tests and 54 total wickets—wisely applied his white-ball expertise on a dry pitch that necessitated constant aggressive bowling towards the stumps. His success in outshining the celebrated Ravindra Jadeja—their shared experience at CSK limited to just 18 matches since 2019—was pivotal in determining the outcome of the second Test.
“Obviously the wickets that he got…but I think what will go unnoticed is the amount of overs he bowled back-to-back and to keep a threat for that amount of time,” Latham praised Santner’s exceptional stamina and commitment. “I keep trying to take him off, but he keeps taking a wicket. So, I said, ‘you can keep going.’ Look, I can’t praise him enough in terms of what he’s done this game. He was simply fantastic.”
Moreover, Devon Conway’s bat displayed remarkable resilience as he notched up an impressive 91 in Pune and 76 in Bengaluru. His adeptness against spin has been honed during his time with CSK, where he learned to effectively deploy unconventional and reverse sweeps to disrupt the rhythm of India’s seasoned spinners.
It’s worth noting that India may have suffered setbacks during both tosses, particularly in their misjudgment of pitch conditions in Bengaluru. Despite a bizarre turn of events—marked by rain affecting the play—the New Zealand team triumphed convincingly in Pune under conditions that truly favored them. Their bowlers executed a well-thought-out plan that bewildered India’s renowned batters, while their own batters creatively tackled the challenges posed by experienced Indian spinners. Their efforts were met with exuberant celebrations, reflecting the significance of their remarkable achievement.
“I’m sort of lost for words a little bit. It’s obviously an immensely proud moment for this group,” Latham expressed, overwhelmed by the historic nature of their victory. “A lot of New Zealand teams have come here over the past 69 years, I think it is, and in 13 series, to be the first team to win a series over here is immensely special.”
A long night of celebration likely followed, as New Zealand rightly savored their achievement for redefining the landscape of Test cricket.
