Mitchell Santner led a New Zealand spin blitz with seven wickets on a turning Pune pitch to help dismiss India for 156 on day two of the second Test on Friday.
Starting the day on 16-1 in response to New Zealand’s 259, the Indian batting came to a stuttering end in the second session with the hosts conceding a lead of 103.
Ravindra Jadeja counter-attacked with a quickfire 38 before Santner trapped the left-hander lbw for his first five-wicket haul in 29 Test appearances.
He got two more to wrap up the innings and raise New Zealand’s hopes of chasing their maiden Test series victory on Indian soil after winning the opener of the three-match series.
Prior that, India resumed on 16-1 after losing captain Rohit Sharma for a nine-ball duck, and Shubman Gill was fortunate to survive a loud lbw appeal on the third ball of the day from Santner when he was on 10.
Back in the side after missing the series-opening eight-wicket defeat in Bengaluru due to a stiff neck, Gill shrugged off the early scare and went on the attack by lofting paceman Tim Southee for a six down the ground a few overs later.
Overnight batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill started cautiously before Santner struck in the 11th over of the day.
He trapped Gill lbw for 30 with a slider to the right-hander.
The home fans were then stunned into silence when Santner took the prized wicket of Kohli, bowled on a low full toss.
Off-spinner Glenn Phillips struck on his fourth ball to get the left-handed Jaiswal caught at slip for 30 to leave the hosts on 70-4 and then 83-5 when he bowled Rishabh Pant for 18.
First-match centurion Sarfaraz Khan managed 11 before Santner got him caught at mid-on.
Santner trapped Ravichandran Ashwin lbw for four.
Spinner Sundar returned to India’s Test team with 7-59 on Thursday to bowl out New Zealand after gritty knocks from Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65).
Last week’s win by New Zealand was their first Test victory on Indian soil since 1988.
