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India vs New Zealand 2024/25, IND vs New Zealand 2nd Test Match Report, October 24-28, 2024

tea New Zealand 201 for 5 (Mitchell 16*, Ashwin 3-48, Washington 2-34) vs India

India called up a second offspinner from outside the squad, ostensibly to extend batting speed without compromising on ball release from the left-hand batsmen; The offspinner in question combined with the existing offspinner to push New Zealand back, despite two left-handed batsmen scoring half-centuries to take the lead.

After losing what turned out to be a good toss to lose in Bengaluru, New Zealand won an important toss that experts believe will become a gymnast in due course. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra then made good use of the conditions while they were still good for batting.
R Ashwin, India's leading offspinner, took three wickets but it was Ravindra's big wicket of Washington Sundar 10 minutes before tea that brought India straight back into the contest. He then bowled Tom Blundell through the gate with the last ball before tea. Ashwin's three wickets took him past Nathan Lyon's 530 in 25 Tests less. The two could be locked in a showdown in Australia later in the year, but for now India are struggling at home to defend their 18-series winning streak.

On a pitch with much less bounce, batters were able to prevail against the quicks, who couldn't find any movement off the surface anyway. Ashwin's introduction brought India instant success, but India did not create long enough chances from either side to take quick wickets. However, every now and then the ball spun from the right length, just as Washington did, to go past Ravindra, suggesting that batting last would not be easy.

Nothing is always easy in Test cricket but this was one of the easier starts to an innings with the openers racing to 30 in seven overs without any problems. Ashwin needed just five balls to drive one inside and then turn it outside edge to catch Tom Latham lbw.

This ball turned from straight, but the turn was not yet consistent or threatening. Conway managed to sweep well and also hit runs off the back foot while Ashwin and Washington Sundar bowled with in-out fields. Twenty of his 76 runs came from sweeps and reverse sweeps.

The partnership between Conway and Will Young looked menacing, but a sharp criticism called for by the short-legged Sarfaraz Khan returned a weak touch on the glove and sent Young back. Now Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja kept causing problems for the batters: in the 11 overs they bowled together, they missed 24 shots and conceded just 30 runs.

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