Mitchell Santner had a forgettable tour of Sri Lanka earlier this summer, returning with a solitary wicket in three innings. But on Friday, on a turning track in Pune, much like fellow defensive white-ball spinner Washington Sundar, Santner sparked a major batting collapse, picking four of the six wickets that fell on second morning of the second Test match.

India looked to take first innings lead on Friday morning, having bundled the hosts for 259 on Day 1 after the latter had opted to bat first. However, by the opening hour, Santner, using his natural variation, and slower deliveries compared to Indian spinners on Day 1, sent Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli packing. Later, just before Lunch, he dismissed Sarfaraz Khan, who stared for India in the Bengaluru Test with a majestic 150, albeit in a losing cause, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

The four wickets from Santner and two from Glenn Phillips left India reeling at 107 for seven at Lunch, still trailing by over 150 runs in the match.

The collapse in Pune inflicted by the New Zealand spinner left compatriot and former cricketer Simon Doull, in conversation with JioCinema at Lunch, busting a major “misconception” around modern India batters as he reckoned that contrary to the general opinion, they only as good as any other batters around the world.

“I think it is a misconception around the world now that these modern Indian players are better playing spin than anyone else. They are not. They are the same as everyone else around the world. Gone are the days of Ganguly, Gambhir, Laxman and Dravid. Sachin was so, so good against spin, and the era before them. I think good quality spinners are just as good as getting India out on turning tracks as Indian spinners against good quality opposition batters. And the moment they see a turning track in IPL, they complain,” he said.

Santner completes maiden five-wicket haul

Moments after Lunch, Santner picked up his first five-wicket haul in Test career after dismiss Ravindra Jadeja. It was also his second in first-class cricket following 5/51 for Northern Districts vs Central Districts in Mount Maunganui in 2022/23. He became the 16th visiting New Zealand bowler to pick a five-wicket haul in an innings in India.

He later dismissed Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah to complete a seven-wicket haul, much like Sundar did for India on Day 1, as India were folded for just 156. His 7 for 53 is now the second-best bowling figure by a New Zealand bowler in India after Ajaz Patel's historic ten-fer in 2021.

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