Team India has suffered its first defeat in the ICC Test Championship as New Zealand outplayed them by 10 wickets at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Monday. This also turned out to be Virat Kohli and his men’s first Test loss in 14 months. The visitors were bundled out for 191 runs in their second innings and it took only more than an hour for New Zealand to pick the last six wickets even as Tim Southee ended up with another five-wicket haul.
The hosts chased down the target of 9 runs in just 1.4 overs in the second innings, the target which India had set for them before getting bowled out. Interestingly, this is also the 100th Test match victory for the Kiwis in their cricket history.
Earlier, India was hoping for a decent score on the board on Day 4 as Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari holding forte. The duo had to see through the first hour, but to the visitors’ dismay, their vice-captain was nipped out in the third over of the day itself courtesy Trent Boult.
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Soon after Rahane’s dismissal, Hanuma Vihari then played on an incoming delivery from Tim Southee in the very next over to virtually end India’s hopes. Rishabh Pant was there in the middle but things were getting difficult with each dismissal. Though the youngster tried his best along with Ishant Sharma and helped India take the lead. Ravi Ashwin‘s poor Test with the bat ended with Southee pinning him in front of the stumps.
Ishant too got out in the same fashion to Colin de Grandhomme after which Pant tried to hit out and score some quick runs. But even he failed to make it big and was eventually caught at fine leg for 25. Southee completed his five-fer and 10-fer in the match in the same over snaffling out Jasprit Bumrah as India got bundled out for just 191 runs setting a 9-run target for the hosts which they chased down comfortably.
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With the series on the line, India now will have to make some changes for their poor show in the first Test. They will also be hoping to grab the 60 points on offer in the Test Championship.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Why could NZ seamers get the ball to swing and deviate more than Indian seamers? Because on this surface wrist at an angle to swing the ball was needed. All three Indian seamers, though top class, are not really out & out swing bowlers.#INDvNZ
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 24, 2020
That was quick from New Zealand. And very disappointing from India. It was always going to be very tough but this was a pack of cards. Just 47 in 17 overs. The disappointing away run continues!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 23, 2020
Blundell and Latham knock off the runs to give New Zealand their 💯th Test win! 🎉 👏
A great all-round performance by the hosts to take a 1-0 series lead 🏆 #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/Rab1LpS8P1
— ICC (@ICC) February 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/vishalj352/status/1231735729442549761
Expecting Captain Cutie to drop Mayank Agarwal and Rishabh Pant in the next match since they've performed better #NZvIND
— Abhishek ✨ (@ImAbhishek7_) February 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/ChloeAmandaB/status/1231735651504050176
Tweeted this last evening but was hoping that our team would prove me wrong. Unfortunately, they didn't. #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/826RKheSOs
— C.VENKATESH (@C4CRICVENKATESH) February 24, 2020
Though NZ bowled a lot of short deliveries, but most of their wkts came through fuller length balls! And, Southee being a major contributor at that, with 9 wickets in this match. What a legend for NZ! Well deserved man of the match award for him.#NZvIND #INDvsNZ
— Aniruddh (@aniruddhacts) February 24, 2020
Still 6 months we have for t20 WC, play kohli as a batsman only make Rohit t20 captain. 😴😷
Kohli bhai after the match- We did put in good efforts but we were not disciplined.
Good effort 🤷♂️
Good effort 🤷♂️
Except Mayank aggarwal and Ishant whose effort was good 🤔#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/i6FLJYmSTF— Bored_biotechnologist (@imbb_vhc) February 24, 2020
Kyle Jamieson & Trent Boult (No 9 and 11) with the bat for for NZ in one innings – 82/2
Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Prithvi Shaw & Hanuma Vihari (4 of top 7) in both innings combined – 95/8
Bumrah & Shami bowling figures – 191/2
NZ got India out for 165 & 191#NZvIND
— Aditya (@forwardshortleg) February 24, 2020
