What made New Zealand the side that jinxed India’s proud home record?

New Zealand leading three match Test series by 2-0 margin against Team India in India. Let’s deep dive into what has worked for New Zealand so far in the series.

New Zealand broke India’s proud home record of being unbeaten in Test series for 12 years. They were supposed to be steamrolled by India as the Kiwis were coming off a 0-2 loss in Sri Lanka. But New Zealand caught India napping as the latter looked underprepared for the Kiwi challenge. So, what worked for New Zealand to break India’s home record?

First, let’s see how New Zealand batters and bowlers fared against their India counterparts in the two Tests. 

A look at the above comparison of performances from both New Zealand and India’s batters and bowlers in both the Tests show that the Kiwis have out-batted and out-bowled Rohit Sharma and his men in all departments of the game. 

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New Zealand’s batters bat India out

New Zealand’s top five batters average 56.42 in Bengaluru, and 34.50 in Pune. On the other hand, India’s top five batters average 44.10 in Bengaluru and 20.40 in Pune. However, there have been same number of scores of fifty and tons from both teams.

It’s the top-order’s performances that have made the difference for New Zealand in outbatting India. India’s top-order failed once again, and this time the middle-lower order too had an off day to rescue the team. 

New Zealand batters also adapted better to conditions to come out of jail every time India had put pressure on them. In the first innings of the Bengaluru Test, they were struggling at 233/7 before Rachin Ravindra and Tim Southee took the team’s total to 402, and a lead of 356 runs. 

In comparison, India collapsed in a heap on multiple occasions, first the 46 in the first innings, and then a collapse of 7 wickets for 54 runs in the second innings with the second new ball. India had another collapse of 156 in the first innings of the Pune Test. 

Another important facet of New Zealand batting was that they found heroes in tailender Tim Southee (65) in Bengaluru and No 7 Glenn Phillips (48 not out) in Pune to help resurrect their team’s total. India, for a change, didn’t receive such support from their lower-order batters.

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New Zealand bowlers make merry

India were also beaten in their own game in the Pune Test. They dished out a turner in Pune but opposition bowler Mitchell Santner ran through India’s batting line-up with a match haul of 13 for 157. 

In comparison, Santner’s counterpart Ravindra Jadeja struggled to pick up wickets, R Ashwin leaked runs, while only a Test returnee in Washington Sundar made the ball talk with a match haul of 11 wickets. India’s spinners conceded too many runs or loose balls for New Zealand batters to run away with 250-plus totals in both the innings. Meanwhile, Santner and Co were bang on the money, bowling out India for just 156.

Even in the pace department, India’s pacers struggled. Kiwi pacers took 17 wickets to fall in the Bengaluru Test although they bowled in favourable conditions in the first innings. However, credit to them for exploiting the conditions and bowling India out for just 46. They came back again in the second innings to take 7 wickets, and initiate a collapse that saw India lose 7 wickets for 54 runs with the second new ball. India pacers managed just 5 wickets in the match and were disappointing throughout. 

Inspiring captaincy

Tom Latham’s captaincy was sharp and astute as he didn’t give away easy runs to the India’s batters and made them work hard for every single run. He kept attacking fields mostly, with 3 to 4 close-in men, when Santner was bowling in the Pune Test. The continuous pressure brought wickets for Santner and his team. Also, the field placements were bang on. The leg slip to Virat Kohli in the Bengaluru Test first innings was a smart fielding placement that saw the batter edge it straight to the fielder.

Also, Latham was patient and didn’t panic when Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant were taking the attack to the opposition camp in the Bengaluru Test second innings. The second new ball changed the course of the game for the Kiwis in the Bengaluru Test. Overall, Latham’s captaincy also proved to be difference in handing out a home series loss to India in 12 years.

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