IND vs NZ second Test: Really special feeling, says Latham on New Zealand’s historic series win

Reflecting on the momentous achievement, captain Tom Latham expressed pride and excitement for his team's success

He was reappointed as Test captain after two years following the team’s series loss in Sri Lanka. But Tom Latham, the New Zealand captain, was “immensely” proud of the historic feat his team achieved on Saturday (October 26, 2024), assuring his team its first Test series win in India.

“Coming off the back of a Sri Lankan series where we obviously didn’t get the results that we wanted, to come here and play the style of cricket that we have played, we are immensely proud to be in the position of winning two Test matches here,” an elated Latham said.

“A lot of New Zealand teams have come here over the past 69 years, I think it is, and 13 series. To be the first team to win a series over here is immensely special. (I am) very proud of this group.”

IND vs NZ second Test: Day 3 in pictures, October 26, 2024

New Zealand players celebrate after winning the second Test against India in Pune on October 26, 2024.

Captain Rohit Sharma and New Zealand's skipper Tom Latham shake hands after New Zealand won the second test cricket match in Pune on October 26, 2024.

Captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir are seen dejected after New Zealand defeated India in the second Test in Pune. This is the first Test series loss for India in 12 years.

New Zealand cricketers made history on the Indian soil by winning a Test series after seven decades. India lost the first Test series at home after 12 years.

The stand-out performer for New Zealand is Mitchell Santner who took 13 wickets in the match and played a useful knock in the first innings.

After the dismissals of the top order, Ravindra Jadeja played a lone hand and was the last batsman to be dismissed as India was bundled out for 245 in the second innings.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal played brilliantly in the second innings but that was not enough for Team India as they succumbed to the guiles of Mitchell Santner.

Captain Rohit Sharma could not fire in both the innings as he failed miserably by getting out for 0 and 8 in the match.

Virat Kohli failed to show his class in both the innings as he succumbed to the guiles of Mitchell Santner in both the innings of the second Test

Ravindra Jadeja did well on the third day by taking 3 wickets in the morning session to restrict New Zealand for 255 in the second innings.
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IND vs NZ second Test: Day 2 in pictures, October 25, 2024

New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner proved to be nemesis for the Indian batsmen as he claimed seven wickets in the first innings and his effort enabled India to be dismissed for 156, in Pune on October 25, 2024

Virat Kohli was dimissed by Mitchell Santner for 1 in the second Test in Pune.

Mitchell Santner bowled brilliantly as this delivery dismissed Akash Deep on day 2 of the second Test in Pune.

Ravindra Jadeja was the top scorer for India in the first innings of the second Test. Jadeja scored 38 in the total score of 156.

New Zealand players celebrate the wicket of Rishabh Pant on day 2 of the second Test in Pune.

New Zealand’s captain Tom Latham scored a brilliant 86 to take New Zealand lead past 300.

New Zealand’s Tom Blundell was not out on 30 and he is expected to take Kiwis past 350.

Having taken seven wickets in the first innings, Washington Sundar took four wickets in the second New Zealand innings.

New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra was dismissed by Washington Sundar. Ravindra was castled by Sundar in both the innings.
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IND vs NZ second Test: Day 1 in pictures, October 24, 2024

Washington Sunday, playing in his fifth Test, took his career-best 7 for 59 and spun out New Zealand for 259 in the first innings of the second Test in Pune on October 24, 2024.

Washington Sundar being hugged by captain Rohit Sharma after his career-best 7-wicket haul in the New Zealand first innings of the second Test in Pune.

After winning the toss, New Zealand openers gave their team a sedate start when Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Tom Latham in Pune.

After the dismissal of Tom Latham, New Zealand’s other opener Devon Conway played brilliantly to score 76. He was also dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin.

Continuing his good form from the first Test, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra played a good knock of 65 but he was dismised by Washington Sundar.

New Zealand’s Will Young was the third wicket for Ravichandran Ashwin in the first innings of the second Test in Pune.

Rachin Ravindra celebrates his fifty and being congratulated by Daryl Mitchell.

New Zealand’s Tom Blundell was foxed by a Washington Sundar beauty on day 1 of the second Test in Pune.

Another beauty from Washington Sundar ends the stay of Ajaz Patel

After dismissing New Zealand for 259, India started on a wrong note with Rohit Sharma being dismissed for 0. Tim Southee was the wicket-taker. Rohit, who was cleaned up for the third time in the series and for the second time by Southee.
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Showering praise on Mitchell Santner, who ended with a 13-wicket match-haul, Latham stressed on his consistency being the key.

“The way Mitch bowled yesterday on day two, a wicket where you bowled the same ball, one would turn and one would skid on so he just bowled pretty much the same ball time and time again and one would spin and one wouldn’t. That’s the challenge of these surfaces,” Latham said.

“When you are not sure what the ball is doing, it obviously brings the stumps into play and the catches behind the wicket into play. You look at the wickets from most of the game, a lot of them were bowleds or LBWs, so that was something that we tried to do was to bring the stumps into play and we saw a few more catches behind the wicket today.”

Published - October 26, 2024 06:01 pm IST