India all-rounder Washington Sundar’s masterclass with the ball during the second Test against New Zealand in Pune proved to be enough to rewrite records in the history books.
On his return to Test cricket after more than three-and-a-half years ago, Sundar burst into the scene out of nowhere and left a lasting impression on the game.
Despite the presence of mainstays Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Sundar found a way to make the headlines all about himself.
His exploits in the first innings saw him end with 7/59, offering India a moment of reprieve from New Zealand’s aggressive approach against its spinners.
In the second innings, he kept the tempo high and returned with 4/56 to lift India’s chances of keeping the series alive with a victory in the second Test.
Sundar’s 11/115 is the fourth-best match figures for India produced in a Test against the Kiwis. His compatriot Ravichandran Ashwin’s 13/140 in Indore in 2016 still stands as the best match figures for India against the Black Caps.
Sundar’s efforts with the ball played their part in restricting New Zealand to 255, setting a mammoth target of 359 for India to chase down with more than two days of play left.
In the past 26 instances, India has only once managed to chase down a 300-plus total. The victory dates back to 2008 when India faced England in Chennai. Out of the 26 instances, India has lost on 14 occasions.
While trying their hand at the mounting challenge, India lost captain Rohit Sharma early in the chase. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill kept the momentum in the hosts’ favour.
A flurry of boundaries from Jaiswal, including a towering six, has kept the hopes alive of levelling the series. He employed his feet, danced around the crease to smoke the ball into the stands.
Gill, on the other end, has used the sweep shot to its optimum use, picking holes in the field to find the fence for four. (ANI)
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