India Suffers 1st Home Test Series Loss Since 2012; Santner Shines for New Zealand

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

1. India loses a home Test series for the first time in 11 years.
2. New Zealand clinches victory in the Pune Test by 113 runs.
3. Mitchell Santner’s stellar bowling leads New Zealand to a historic win.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

India faced its first home Test series defeat in 11 years as New Zealand won the Pune Test by 113 runs. Mitchell Santner’s exceptional bowling display led to India’s collapse, claiming 13 wickets in the match and leaving India short of their 359-run chase target.

In New Zealand’s second innings, Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips contributed crucial runs. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin bowled well, claiming key wickets, but the Indian innings faltered after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s strong start. After lunch, India lost momentum as Santner dismissed key players like Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant.

India’s captaincy and strategy are under scrutiny as Santner’s bowling and Tom Latham’s captaincy highlighted New Zealand’s strengths. With this win, New Zealand marked a historic series triumph in India, while India must now shift focus to their upcoming series against Australia.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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