NZ vs IND, 2nd Test: Kiwis complete formalities to win series 2-0

Kohli,-Grandhomme

new zealand vs india 2nd test

Hosts New Zealand managed a 2-0 series sweep after hammering India by seven wickets in the second Test. They also managed a full 120 points in the World Test Championships table. On the third day of the Christchurch game, the lower middle order of India was unable to provide any resistance as they added just 34 runs to their overnight score to set the Kiwis a target of 132. The openers put on 103 runs for the opening wicket, which allowed them to chase the target down with ease.

After resuming the day at 90 for 6, Hanuma Vihari fell in the third over, while Rishabh Pant was caught behind in the next over. Trent Boult picked up four wickets in the innings and regularly got the ball to swing away from the batters.

nz beats india in 2nd test

Mohammad Shami did patiently bide his time for a while but India lost three wickets in 30 minutes and collapsed to 108 for 9. Some big hits from Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah took a score near 130.

The New Zealand team made a fine start to their chase and reached lunch at 46 for no wicket. Even though the Indian fast bowlers were not able to extract the same kind of threat that the home pacers did, they did trouble the openers Tom Latham and Tom Blundell in phases. The latter was dropped by Pant when he was just in single scores after Bumrah had got a pacy delivery to nip back into him at a sharp rate. Latham too was tested on and off by Bumrah but escaped every time.

The second session, however, turned the tide around, as the New Zealand batsmen scored more freely. Mohammad Shami, who had been hit on the shoulder while batting, did not take the field after lunch. However, the game was all done and dusted after the hosts reached 100 for no loss in just 26 overs. Latham completed his 18th Test fifty but was sent back soon after off the bowling of Umesh Yadav.

Bumrah, however, was the star, as he produced another breathtaking spell towards the end to dismiss skipper Kane Williamson off a short ball. Blundell too was ousted by Bumrah, but the Indian batsmen had given their bowlers little to defend, as the Kiwis ran away with the win.

Brief scores: India 242 (Hanuma Vihari 55; Kyle Jamieson 5-45) & 124 (Trent Boult 4-28) lost to New Zealand 235 (Tom Latham 52; Mohammed Shami 4-22) & 132/3 (Tom Blundell 55, Tom Latham 52) by seven wickets