Mitchell Santner’s 13 wickets in Pune ended India’s long-standing Test dominance at home. Here’s where the left-arm spinner’s performance ranks among the top match figures by an away bowler in the country.
New Zealand became the first team to beat India in a Test series since 2012, in a significant part thanks to Santner’s performance in the second Test. He took the first Test five-wicket-haul of his 29-Test long career in the first innings, in which he took seven wickets, which in itself was the first time he had taken more than three wickets in a Test innings. His previous best of 3-34 came against South Africa earlier this year.
On a spin-conducive pitch, New Zealand benefitted from bowling slow, with Santner leading the way. After his 7-53 helped New Zealand skittle India out in their first innings, he also ran through them in the second.
Defending a record total, he was instrumental in wiping out half of India's batting order, including a run out of the dangerous Rishabh Pant for a duck. The hosts started aggressively, spearheaded by Yashasvi Jaiswal's 65-ball 77, but Santner's 6-104, in which he bowled 29 overs on the trot, ensured they fell short of the target by 103 runs.
India remain on top of the standings, but the gap is narrowing...
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) October 26, 2024
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Full list of best Test match figures by an overseas bowler in India
Santner's 13-157 is the third-best by a visiting bowler in India. England's Ian Botham also took the same number of wickets in 1980 but conceded fewer runs (106), helping him to retain the second spot. The list is headed by his compatriot Ajaz Patel, who in 2021 picked up 14-225 albeit in a losing cause, including a record 10-wicket haul in the first innings.
Five out of the top ten slots belong to Australia players, with Steve O'Keefe's 12-70 in 2017 in Pune ranked fourth.
Santner's figures are also the third-best by a New Zealand bowler in the format. Patel's heroics put him at second, while Richard Hadlee owns the top spot with 15-123 against Australia in 1985-86.
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