Mitchell Santner, who had never even picked a five-wicket haul in Tests before the Pune game against India, where he managed to get a seven-for, felt that it was the change of pace that did the trick for him in the second Test of the three-match series, which the Kiwis lead 1-0.
“I think it was one of those days where I just got the wickets. I just tried to change it up a bit, but usually, if you bowl those, they go for six. I think the change of pace was key today, ” Santner said in the press conference at the end of Day 2 on October 25 (Friday) in Pune.
Santner, who before the Pune game, had appeared in 28 Tests and averaged 42 with the ball, said that it was his day as he even got Virat Kohli's wicket off the full toss.
“I think I was in more of a shock getting Kohli out of the full toss. He doesn't usually miss those. I think it was slightly slower through the air,” Santner described the Kohli wicket, which opened the floodgates as India were bowled out for 156 in their first innings, conceding a lead of 103.
Having picked up just one wicket across two Tests in Sri Lanka, Santner said that it is all about bowling in partnerships and while he was not amongst the wickets in Sri Lanka, the pressure put up by him resulted in wickets for other bowlers.
"If we can kind of build [pressure] from both ends, one guy will get the wickets, and one guy will do more of a holding role. In Sri Lanka, I was kind of holding and, you know, Ajaz or someone else got the wickets at the other end. That might be similar [in the] second innings where we just try to build pressure from both ends and someone might get the wickets," said the 32-year-old.
If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out on our content — big time. Download the App here.