by Rex Clementine
Test cricket, eh? It’s a funny old game. One minute you’re down and out in Galle, struggling to handle spin like a fish out of water, and the next, you’re toppling the World Test Championship’s best team in their own backyard. New Zealand pulled off a sensational eight-wicket win over India in Bangalore, their first Test victory on Indian soil in 36 years. And they did it without their talisman, Kane Williamson – talk about adding a feather to their cap!
The Sri Lankan tour had been an absolute horror show for the Kiwis. After being whitewashed 2-0, captain Tim Southee handed in his resignation, and a few players were unceremoniously dropped like a hot potato. Heading to India, the Kiwis expected another torrid time, but the cricketing gods had other plans. In Bangalore, relentless rain turned the pitch into a seamer’s paradise – a blessing in disguise for New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma, however, must have been reading the pitch like a badly translated instruction manual. Opting to bat first, India’s batters were in for a rough day as the ball seamed around. Matt Henry and William O’Rourke tore through the Indian lineup, sharing nine wickets between them. India crumbled for just 46 runs – their lowest ever home total, and keep in mind, India’s been hosting Tests since 1933 when Mahatma Gandhi was still stirring up the British Empire.
Missing Williamson didn’t matter one bit, as New Zealand’s new hero emerged: Rachin Ravindra. Born in Wellington, with roots in Bangalore, he’s practically cricketing royalty. His dad, a massive fan of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, fused their names to christen him “Rachin.” And boy, did the kid live up to his name! Ravindra smashed his way to 134, making himself an overnight sensation in India. Even the Indian fans, who usually defend their team like it’s a national treasure, couldn’t help but admire this lad, even if he was giving their boys a tough time.
Thanks to Ravindra’s masterclass and some sloppy Indian fielding (they dropped catches like coins from a pocket), New Zealand secured a massive 356-run first innings lead. Tim Southee joined the party too, knocking a breezy half-century and adding 137 runs with Ravindra for the eighth wicket.
India, though, didn’t go down without a fight. Sarfraz Khan, who’s been piling up runs in the Ranji Trophy like there’s no tomorrow, showed his class on the big stage. His gritty 150 helped India post a respectable 462 in the second innings. Rishabh Pant, always the entertainer, was unlucky to be dismissed for 99 – it was his seventh time getting out in the 90s.
Chasing 107 might not sound like a Herculean task, but when Bumrah sent both New Zealand openers packing early, things were heating up. Enter Rachin Ravindra again. Cool as a cucumber, he and Will Young put on an unbroken 75-run partnership to guide New Zealand to a famous victory.
India haven’t lost a home series since 2012, but now, that record is hanging by a thread as the teams head to Pune and Mumbai for the remainder of the series. More alarmingly, India’s seemingly smooth cruise to another World Test Championship final has hit an unexpected iceberg. They’re still top of the table, but with a five-match series in Australia on the horizon, they could be in for a bumpy ride.
