The third match between India and New Zealand has started. New Zealand has dropped Pune Test hero Mitchell Santner from the third match. Santner had forced the Indian team to kneel by taking 13 wickets in the last match. He was also chosen Player of the Match for his excellent performance. Despite this, the New Zealand captain has kept him out of the third match. Latham has cited his injury as the reason behind not feeding him. Leg spinner Ish Sodhi has replaced him in the Mumbai Test.
What kind of injury has Santner got?
New Zealand captain Tom Latham told about Mitchell Santner’s injury that he is suffering from side strain. Even during the last match, Santner looked troubled by this and now he is completely out. However, he played the entire match and took 7 wickets in the first innings and 6 wickets in the second innings. Indian batsmen looked helpless in front of him.
Now the Indian team will heave a sigh of relief due to his absence in the Mumbai Test. Especially Virat Kohli will get relief from this, because Santner had taken his wicket in both the innings of the last match. Apart from this, he has been struggling against left arm spinners in recent times.
Did this feat for the first time
Mitchell Santner had achieved the feat of taking 5 wickets for the first time in his career in the Pune Test. Not only this, by taking 13 wickets, he also became the third bowler to perform best for New Zealand in India. Santner also became the second best left arm spinner in India to take the most wickets in a single Test. His teammate at number-1 is Ajaz Patel, who took 14 wickets in the Mumbai Test in 2021.
Will there be a clean sweep after 24 years?
Team India has lost three test matches at home this year. In this way, after 41 years, India has faced defeat in 3 Tests at home. Earlier in 1983 also, Team India had lost 3 tests. At the same time, after losing 2 matches in this series, the series has also slipped out of hands, which has happened with the Indian team for the first time in 12 years. Now a bad record is at stake in Mumbai. If the Indian team loses in this match then New Zealand will win the series 3-0. If this happens, it will be the first time in the last 24 years that Team India will have a clean sweep at home.
