India lose first series at home in 12 years as New Zealand complete historic win

PTI Pune: India crashed to their first Test series defeat at home in 12 years with Mitchel Santner yet again exposing their frailties against quality spin bowling as the crushing 113-run defeat in the second match enervated the team's pole position in the World Test Championship. If the hosts endured their first defeat after 18 consecutive Test series victories, New Zealand celebrated their first ever series-victory on the Indian soil in nearly 70 years. The Kiwis have been travelling to this part of the world since 1955 but Black Caps could never break the Indian citadel all these years. Indian batters, once considered the best players of the spin bowling, danced to the tune of Santner, who dominated the home line-up with 13 wickets in the match, including seven in the first innings. In pursuit of 359, Indian batters cut a sorry figure once again. The were were bowled out for 245 with Yashasvi Jaiswal's 77 and Ravindra Jadeja (42) being the only ones to resist the Kiwis. India's successive batting collapses, beginning with the historic low of 46 all-out in the first essay of Bengaluru Test which they lost by eight wickets, culminated with first series loss at home since 2012-13 when England vanquished them.

Kiwis broke India's string of 18 consecutive Test series wins at home. It was also India's only fourth Test series defeat in their own backyard since turn of the century. The heavy defeat means that India stay on top in the WTC table with 98 points but their percentage points (62.82) got hit badly as Australia are now marginally behind at 62.50. Before travelling to Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, it was imperative for India to win the series at home and consolidate their top position to ensure that they make the WTC final. India's task has only got tougher now because of the sheer challenge Australia are going to pose before them. On Saturday, facing an uphill battle to keep the series alive and safeguard their record, none of the specialist Indian batters barring the 22-year-old Jaiswal, who smashed a 65-ball 77, could withstand the challenge of Santner's orthodox left-arm spin. Santner's (7/53 and 6/104) 13 wickets in the game heralded a remarkable triumph for New Zealand, who mastered the conditions and played better cricket than India to beat Rohit Sharma's team in their own game. The Kiwis gave India a taste of their own medicine after putting first-innings runs on the board and squeezing the oppositions.

The target could have been much bigger had India not fought back on the third morning to snaffle the remaining five wickets for 57 runs to keep New Zealand to 255. After losing the top and middle order, packed with greats of the game, India did not have much hopes left in the game but the pair of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin (18) did their best to delay the inevitable. It was a pitch where batters did not have any assurances unless they had a game plan which Jaiswal showed on the final day of the contest. Jaiswal waged a lone battle of sorts with nine fours and three sixes but none of the famed Indian batters, including mainstays Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.