New Zealand skittles India for 156, takes 103-run lead in 2nd Test

New Zealand bowled out India for just 156 runs in their first innings of the second Test in Pune on Friday. With this commanding performance, the visitors, who lead the series 1-0, established a formidable 103-run advantage.

Resuming play after a shaky start on Thursday, India’s batting lineup faltered dramatically, losing their final nine wickets in quick succession. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner was the star of the show, wreaking havoc with the ball and claiming seven wickets, while off-spinner Glenn Phillips chipped in with two key scalps.

Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the lone warrior for India, top-scoring with a resilient 38 runs. Both Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal offered brief resistance, contributing 30 runs each to the total.

This disheartening performance comes on the heels of India’s previous outing in the first Test, where they were bundled out for a mere 46 runs in Bengaluru, ultimately succumbing by eight wickets.

As the second Test unfolds, India must regroup and deliver a much stronger batting display if they hope to stay alive in the series.