India no test for NZ
Battered and bullied in Australia, the Black Caps have restored their test cricket credibility.
New Zealand clinched a 2-0 series whitewash of India, winning the second test by seven wickets, inside 21⁄2 days at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval yesterday, chasing down 132 with seven wickets to spare.
Following a 3-0 test drubbing away to Australia over the festive period, this was some bounce back from New Zealand against world No 1 India, who were bitterly disappointing in both matches.
Back in familiar home conditions on seam-friendly wickets, New Zealand thrived, with this series win rating as one of their most clinical showings in recent years. New Zealand’s 2-0 shellacking of India is up there alongside the 2-1 away win over Pakistan in the UAE in 2018, and home wins over England (2017-18 and 2019-20) and India in 2013-14 when Brendon McCullum captained them to a 1-0 triumph.
Victory in Christchurch means New Zealand preserved their fine test record at home, being undefeated in 13 tests on
Kiwi soil dating back to the
2017-18 summer.
It was also their sixth straight test series win in New Zealand, not dropping a test at home since losing to South Africa by eight wickets at the Basin Reserve in Wellington in March, 2017.
Just as importantly, New Zealand pocketed another 60 ICC test championship points, which sees them rocket above England and Pakistan into third on 180 points, behind India (360) and Australia (296).
With a relatively cushy test schedule around the corner – two away matches to Bangladesh in August, then five home tests next summer against the West Indies (three) and Pakistan (two) – New Zealand will fancy their chances of going on a winning run and pushing for a place in the June 2021 final at Lord’s.
Set 132 to win on a tricky day three pitch still offering plenty for the pace bowlers, New Zealand started safely through the two Toms, Latham and Blundell.
If India were any hope they needed early breakthroughs, but the Kiwi openers navigated the new ball and set a perfect platform.
New Zealand were 46-0 at lunch and with leading quick Mohammed Shami off the field having sustained an injury while batting, victory seemed inevitable.
Latham backed up his 52 from the first innings, making the exact same score before he gloved through to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant off Umesh Yadav with 29 left to win.
Blundell was knocked over by Jasprit Bumrah for 55 – locking up his test opening spot for the Bangladesh tour and beyond.
Skipper Kane Williamson failed for the second time in the test with the finish line in sight. He gloved to gully off a ripper from Bumrah for five, to go along with three from the first innings.
India began day three in deep trouble at 90-6 and were seven down three overs into the first session.
They added 34 runs to their overnight score with senior pace duo Trent Boult and Tim Southee snaring three of the four remaining wickets in 49 minutes.
Boult and Southee had combined for 69 wickets at 21 in six previous tests at Hagley Oval and were brilliant again.
The Northern Districts pair teamed up for seven wickets in the second innings with Boult nabbing 4-28 and Southee 3-36. They took 11-191 between them in the test.
Hanuma Vihari, who top scored with 55 in the first innings, was the first man to go yesterday. He tickled one down the leg side off Southee with wicketkeeper BJ Watling taking a superb diving catch to his left.
It was an outstanding take from Watling, who was untidy with his glove work in the first innings, dropping the same batsman off Kyle Jamieson.
Things got worse for India when the aggressive Rishabh Pant nicked through to Watling in the next over from Boult, giving him four wickets.
New Zealand mopped up the tail with Shami holing out to Blundell at deep square leg off Southee.
A woeful mix-up between Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja ended the innings with Bumrah run out, leaving New Zealand 132 runs to take the test and series.