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The third day of the second Test between India and New Zealand in Pune witnessed a dramatic shift in momentum as left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner produced a sensational bowling performance, putting his team on the cusp of a historic series win. Santner's brilliance in the afternoon session saw India lose six wickets, five of them falling to his impeccable spin bowling, leaving them needing 181 runs for victory going into the tea break.
The session began with a promising start for India as opener Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his aggressive batting, putting immense pressure on the New Zealand bowlers. However, Santner's magic unfolded when he dismissed Shubman Gill and then Jaiswal himself, who had reduced his sweeping attempts due to a back injury. Jaiswal's dismissal proved to be a major turning point for India, as it triggered a collapse that saw them lose their momentum.
The situation worsened for India when Rishabh Pant was run out after a miscommunication with Virat Kohli. This left India at 127/4, having lost two dynamic left-handers who could have countered New Zealand's left-arm spin threat. In an attempt to maintain a left-right batting combination, India promoted Washington Sundar to number six, a clever tactic that proved ineffective against Santner's relentless spin bowling. Santner then dismissed Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan before removing Sundar, further dismantling India's hopes of a comeback.
While Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin managed to prevent further damage, the result seemed inevitable. While other bowlers lacked consistency, Santner's exceptional performance on the Pune pitch left India in a precarious position. The series win is now within New Zealand's grasp, as they look set to achieve a historic victory against India on their home soil. This would be India's first home series defeat since 2012, a testament to New Zealand's dominance and Santner's exceptional bowling prowess.