Washington Sundar showcased his talent by taking 7 wickets on his return to the team, leading India to a dominant performance on Day 1 of the Pune Test match on Thursday, October 24. After a disappointing loss in Bengaluru, India made a strong comeback in the Test series by bowling out New Zealand in just 79.1 overs.
In a complete turnaround from the Bengaluru Test, India's spinners were the stars of the show, claiming all 10 wickets on Day 1 in Pune. Ravichandran Ashwin set the tone with three crucial wickets in the top order, despite New Zealand's batters displaying patience early on. However, Washington Sundar's dismissal of Rachin Ravindra (65 off 105) triggered a collapse for New Zealand.
Although the pitch favored spin, it was not as extreme as some pitches India has been criticized for producing in the past. Washington Sundar's exceptional performance, particularly with the old ball, saw New Zealand lose their last 7 wickets for just 62 runs, going from 197 for 3 to 259-all out.
Washington Sundar ended with impressive figures of 7 for 59, marking his best-ever bowling performance in a first-class match. Ashwin chipped in with three wickets, forming a formidable bowling partnership with his Tamil Nadu teammate.
Despite their strong bowling display, India faced a setback towards the end of the day when captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a duck. India finished the day at 16 for 1 in 11 overs, with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal showing resilience against the New Zealand spinners.
Also read| IND vs NZ: Washington Sundar scripts history in Pune, becomes first Indian to achieve big feat
