New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner heaped praise on his bowling unit after they pushed India to the brink in the second ODI at Hnry Stadium, Wellington, on Saturday, 7 November. Despite setting what appeared to be a modest target of 135, the Black Caps made the chase a genuine contest, reducing India to 113 for 7 before rain intervened — with the visitors ultimately winning by just four runs under the DLS method.

Key Bowling Performances

Jacob Duffy was the standout at the top of the order, removing in-form opener Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli for cheap scores early in the chase. Kyle Jamieson was equally threatening, finishing with figures of 3 for 35, while Duffy returned later to dismiss Naman Dhir. Matthew Fisher, who stepped in as a replacement for the concussed Blair Tickner, also chipped in with a wicket to maintain relentless pressure on the Indian batting line-up.

Santner on the Pitch and His Bowlers

'It was a tricky wicket. There's no hiding it. I think they bowled really well, especially at the top, challenged us, and obviously, wickets at the start are never ideal. But I think we were still probably a little bit under at the halfway stage, knowing that there was still a little bit in it, which was nice. And the boys bowled really well,' said Santner after the match.

He emphasised that his team's approach was disciplined rather than reactive. 'Like we said at Eden Park, it would have been easy for us to just go out there and expect things to happen. But we bowled really well. We started well, and I guess the only way to get into that target was to take wickets at the top. We managed to do that, and then I think the guys coming back in, spell after spell, managed to get the breakthroughs throughout, which is key in ODI cricket,' he added.

Why Santner Did Not Bowl

Santner also addressed why he himself did not turn out to bowl during the chase — an eyebrow-raising decision given his credentials as a frontline spinner. 'I warmed up for a little bit, but I think we got up. I think I got pulled, so I just said, "Yeah, you guys look like you're doing all right." It was one of those wickets where the seamers looked pretty challenging on. I know Axar bowled quite nicely, but the Indian quicks were in and around it as well, and they all bowled pretty well,' he explained.

Context and What It Means for the Series

The result at Wellington followed an earlier contest at Eden Park, and the two matches together have underscored New Zealand's ability to stay competitive at home even when their batting falls short. The seamers, in particular, exploited the seam-friendly conditions at Hnry Stadium to full effect. This narrow DLS defeat will serve as a reminder to India that low targets on New Zealand pitches carry genuine threat. The series now continues with both sides having taken stock of conditions that heavily favour pace bowling.