Mitchell Santner revels in outspinning India

By Kris Shannon

It was hardly surprising Mitchell Santner woke up sore the morning after his match-winning heroics. Twenty-nine straight overs while bowling the Black Caps to a famous victory would have that effect.

Santner’s 13-wicket haul inspired a 113-run win in Pune on Saturday, recording the third-best figures by a New Zealander and the third-best for any bowler against India.

The spinner held up an end while shutting down the hosts’ chase, battling a side strain that required stretching between overs. A maiden series triumph within reach, Santner was the constant and content to later pay a physical price.

“The side was all right last night – I was numbing it with a few beers,” he said. “But this morning it’s a little bit sore.”

The good news for Santner is the Black Caps can now enjoy their historic success and rest weary bodies before gunning for a series sweep.

“It’s ideal that test only went three days,” he said. “It took a toil on the rig, I bowled 29 overs in a row which is very foreign for me. I’m usually used to four or 10.”

Such is the limited life of a spinner combining black cap and red ball, knowing that no matter their ability or achievements offshore, a summer played on green pitches can still leave them superfluous.

Teammate Ajaz Patel will attest to that – without a test wicket at home despite taking 10 in an innings on his last trip to India – and Santner is accustomed to an “in and out” schedule when the longest form occupies the international calendar.

Seizing opportunities is essential, and although some thought he had missed a chance while held to one wicket, Santner developed a rhythm and confidence during the 2-0 series defeat by Sri Lanka.

The left-armer felt he bowled well without reward on that tour, receiving no luck and in the second test no assistance from the pitch. Heading to Pune, having watched his team thrive in seam-friendly conditions in Bengaluru, Santner knew what type of surface would await the tourists.

This was his shot, one he would not miss.

“The first test was a massive achievement but we had conditions that were suited to us in the first innings with the ball, and we made the most of it,” he said. “Coming here, we knew it was going to be a different challenge altogether – a classic Indian track where it would be slow and take some turn later on.

“That’s what’s most pleasing about this win — we beat them at their own game. We outspun them and outplayed them in their own conditions.”

There was no doubt about that, nor the calibre of conquered foe. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took their combined tally to 842 test wickets, while Washington Sundar returned 11-115 in his first test in more than three years.

But watching from the sideline and in the middle as Washington began with a seven-wicket bag, Santner joined Patel and Glenn Phillips in formulating a plan.

All three New Zealand spinners were removed by the 25-year-old and the trio made note of what worked — and what didn’t for the wicketless Jadeja.

“We had a lot of chats us a spin unit,” Santner said. “We felt India might have bowled a little quickly in their first innings and it was skidding on.

“We saw Washington and Ashwin slow it up a touch under that 90km mark and it started to take some turn. We wanted to make that our stock and go either way from there.

“On a pitch where you’re not doing anything different but one will skid and one will turn, it becomes an accuracy thing. That’s what we tried to do – be accurate – and hopefully one spins and they nick it or one skids and it hits them on the pad.

“That what the mode of dismissal throughout that whole test – either bowled, lbw or they nicked it.”

Of Santner’s 13 wickets, only one came via a different method, while Phillips’ three scalps were the same. Although the allrounder pair outshone the team’s specialist, Santner shared the plaudits with both Patel and Phillips, believing the third test in Mumbai – where Patel bagged his full set in 2021 – could bring a reversal of roles.

“We speak a lot about bowling in partnerships, especially in these conditions where someone might not be getting the wickets but doing a job at the other end,” Santner said. “In this test it flipped for me and I’m pretty pleased to get the wickets, but we talk about Jazzy and GP’s roles as well, they did a massive job in just trying to squeeze and build.

“Next test, it might be different again. Someone else might get the wickets and it might be my role to dot it up.”

The competitor in Santner must hope for a repeat of Pune, especially with another duel to be won against a great of the modern game.

The 32-year-old had missed Virat Kohli’s wicket in three previous tests but, having claimed the Indian linchpin four times with a white ball, picked up his scalp twice in the second test.

The first dismissal – a low full toss that Kohli missed – would not warrant a spot on the career highlight reel. But Santner was pleased by the second, rapping the pad and forcing a review that left a reluctant batter to trudge from the field.

“It’s always nice to get Kohli out,” Santner said. “I tried to bowl on the seam and get a couple of go away, then intentionally bowled a cross-seam to see if it would skid, and it stayed down and gathered pace.

“I don’t think he was happy with the umpire’s call. We have good banter off the field as well – I’ve got him out a couple of times and I think he’s aware of that.”

Kohli and teammates will now be well aware of the threat brought by Santner, sore side and all.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission