New Zealand produced a solid performance in the second Test in Pune, defeating India by 113 runs to clinch a historic series win. This was the Kiwis' maiden Test series win on Indian soil, ending the side's 70-year wait for the brilliant feat. One of the catalysts for the historic achievement was New Zealand's left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who produced a stellar performance, picking seven wickets in the first innings and six in the second to rattle the Indian batting lineup.

Resuming at 16/1 on Day 3 of the Test, India’s batters struggled against New Zealand’s disciplined attack, primarily led by Santner. The left-arm spinner's breakthrough with Shubman Gill’s wicket set the tone, and he struck again soon after, removing Virat Kohli, further unsettling the Indian lineup. Santner then handed India the major blow, removing the dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal on 77, putting the hosts on instant backfoot.

India could never recover from their batting giants falling cheaply, as Santner removed Sarfaraz Khan for a single-digit score, and then removed Ravichandran Ashwin to all but end India's chances for an unlikely win.

Santner’s dominance continued post-lunch as he took out Ravindra Jadeja, marking his maiden five-wicket haul and putting India under immense pressure. India’s tail failed to withstand the spin barrage, collapsing to 156 all-out in 45.3 overs.

Santner’s figures, among the best by a New Zealand bowler in India, underscored the visitors’ strength.

The Kiwi spinner's dominance against India highlighted one of the major underlying issues for the Indian batting order – their weakness against left-arm spin. This isn't the first time when the India batters have fallen prey to left-arm spinners in recent history.

Lefties rule vs India

It's not just one batter or one odd innings where a left-arm spinner had ruled the roost against India. Since 2020, left-arm spinners have troubled some of India's batting stalwarts including captain Rohit Sharma, and former skipper Virat Kohli.

Rohit, in fact, has fallen prey to left-arm spinners the most since 2020 in India, being dismissed against them on 11 occasions. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, was dismissed on 9 occasions against left-arm spin bowlers in the past four years. Shubman Gill, who bats at no.3 for India, isn't too far behind, claiming fourth spot with 8 dismissals.

Spinners to have tormented India

India’s struggle with left-arm spinners is glaring issue, as even relatively inexperienced bowlers have frequently exploited their vulnerabilities. England's Tom Hartley, on his maiden Test tour of India, emerged as a dominant force, snaring 22 wickets across five Tests despite being new to the format.

His success highlights India's struggles against left-arm spin, as he held the top spot in wicket-taker's list in India (since 2020) until New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner recently surpassed him.

Adding to this trend, New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel, during a previous Test tour, delivered a historic 10-wicket innings performance in Mumbai. Since 2020, three of the top five wicket-takers in India are left-arm spinners – Hartley, Ajaz, and Jack Leach, who has 20 wickets to his name. This consistent threat highlights India’s need to counter left-arm spin better, as these bowlers continue to make significant impacts.

Read Also: India vs New Zealand Highlights, 2nd Test Day 3: NZ beat IND by 113 runs, bag series-clinching victory

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