Washington Sundar took seven wickets on Thursday, helping to bowl New Zealand out for 259 on the first day of the second Test in Pune.
The off-spinner's impressive figures of 7-59 marked his first five-wicket haul in Tests, and he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, stating, "I will never forget this day."
After losing captain Rohit Sharma for a nine-ball duck, India closed the day at 16-1, trailing New Zealand by 243 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill were at the crease with scores of six and ten, respectively.
New Zealand, having won the toss, saw solid contributions from Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65), who added 62 runs for the third wicket before Sundar turned the tide. Fellow spinner Ravichandran Ashwin supported Sundar with 3-64, helping to dismantle the New Zealand batting lineup in just 79.1 overs.
Sundar attributed his success to a focused mindset, stating, "It was God's plan. I just wanted to focus on every single ball." His performance not only highlighted his skill but also set the stage for India to level the series after their opening defeat in Bengaluru.
New Zealand's batting coach Luke Ronchi acknowledged Sundar's impressive bowling and noted how the pitch conditions changed during the latter stages of the day, providing more turn and bounce. With New Zealand looking to clinch the series after their historic win in India, the second Test promises to be a thrilling contest as the teams vie for supremacy.
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