IND vs NZ: Mitchell Santner, Tom Latham help New Zealand dream of a series win in India for the first time

Hyderabad: Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and Tom Latham helped New Zealand dream of a series win in India for the first time after the duo helped New Zealand take an overall lead of 301 runs when stumps were called on day two of the second Test at Pune on Friday.

Santner picked up a career-best figures of 7/53 as India were bowled out for just 156 in their first innings, giving New Zealand a 103-run first innings lead.

In the second innings, Tom Latham scored 86 as New Zealand ended the day on 198/5, with an overall lead of 301 runs.

New Zealand scored 259 in their first innings.

Batting in the fourth innings, on a wicket that aids turn, is not going to be easy for India when they come out to bat next.

Latham and Santner also left India reeling about the thought of suffering a Test series defeat in India for the first time in 12 years. For the record, India have overturned a lead of 100 runs to win a Test match only twice. While the first was when India chased more than 400 to win a Test match in Port of Spain in the West Indies in 1976, the second time was when India beat Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2000-01, in which VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid scored epic tons.

Latham shared useful partnerships with Will Young (23) and Tom Blundell (30 batting) to guide New Zealand to a healthy position when stumps were drawn on day two.

India, resuming the day at 16/1, saw Shubman Gill (30) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (30) add 49 runs for the second wicket.

Gill fell leg before to Santner to start the slide as Virat Kohli (1), Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (18) and Sarfaraz Khan (11) soon departed in quick succession to leave India reeling at 95/6.

The lower order couldn’t make an impact as India lost six wickets for 53 runs in the first session.

In the second session, Santer accounted for Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah to send India packing for just 156 on the board.

Brief scores: New Zealand 259 & 198/5 in 53 overs (Tom Latham 86, Will Young 23, Tom Blundell 30 batting, Washington Sundar 4/56) vs India 156 (Ravindra Jadeja 38, Shubman Gill 30, Mitchell Santner 7/53, Glenn Phillips 2/26).