New Zealand Ends India's Home Dominance with Series Triumph
New Zealand ended India's unbeaten home test series streak since 2012 with a 2-0 victory. The Black Caps, led by Mitchell Santner's impressive spin performance, exposed India's batting vulnerabilities and raised concerns ahead of their Australian tour. Despite maintaining the top spot in the World Test Championship standings, India's confidence for next year's final is shaken.
India's proud record of not losing a home test series since 2012 was shattered by New Zealand, who secured a 2-0 victory on Saturday. The comprehensive defeat, where cracks in India's batting lineup were exposed, raises alarms ahead of their challenging Australian tour.
Stand-in skipper Tom Latham hailed the team's collective effort after taking over from Tim Southee. Despite India's struggles, the Black Caps dominated, with Mitchell Santner claiming a notable match haul of 13 wickets, emphasizing his crucial role on Pune's turning pitch.
This victory marks New Zealand as only the fourth team to win a test series in India since 1990. The outcome serves as a wake-up call for India, remaining atop the World Test Championship yet questioning their readiness for the final showdown.
(With inputs from agencies.)