Expectations are usually the root of all heartaches, the mother of all frustrations, the thief of joy and the cause of all sorrows but occasionally when they are fulfilled, they also have the power to bring unimaginable delight. The Christchurch crowd who were treated to an absolute humdinger on Thursday night in the first T20I between India and New Zealand returned to the Hagley Oval on Saturday evening with expectations of seeing another cracking contest, and once again both teams delivered a match for the ages.
As soon as Ishan Kishan was declared unfit for the second T20I the hype about young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi getting a game started building up. When the Indian captain won the toss and confirmed Vaibhav’s presence in the playing XI a huge cheer erupted at the Hagley Oval. It is remarkable to witness the love the public has for the 15-year-old batting sensation. Everyone wants him to do well and succeed. It’s almost like the nation has adopted him as their own and finds happiness in his achievements.
Tendulkar was the recipient of such unconditional love. Then the baton was passed on to Virat Kohli and now it seems like Vaibhav will hold onto it for a long time. His exploits on the field at such a tender age are well documented but his boyish charm and humility make for equally endearing traits. The way he carries himself around the team during practice sessions and warm-ups is exemplary. He greets everyone with respect and listens intently to his coaches, absorbing every word. He shows maturity beyond his age. He may not have had a good outing with the bat today – such is the nature of T20 cricket – but Vaibhav’s demeanour suggests that he is here to stay.
The pulse of T20 cricket, alive and beating at Hagley Oval 💙
#TeamIndia | #NZvIND https://t.co/NkmpNjYZDC
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2026
The trio of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav, who replaced Mayank Yadav in the playing XI, jolted the Blackcaps in the PowerPlay. Axar Patel then carried on the good work in the middle overs. Once again, just like they did in the first game Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs stitched together a partnership, but the loss of those early wickets meant that they had to consolidate for a lot longer this time around. Captain Mitchell Santner opined in his post-match interview that Phillips and Jacobs read the situation well. He also described the pitch as the kind of surface where if you spend time you could cash in later. If you compare New Zealand’s total of 180 to the 225 they scored in the first game, then it was well below par but if you consider the fact that they were 41/3 in 5.2 overs then 180 becomes a great recovery, one that gave the hosts a fighting chance.
Matt Henry set the tone for the Blackcaps by delivering a maiden first over in India’s run chase. Jacob Duffy’s no ball gave Abhishek Sharma an early life after which he put on 40 with Sanju Samson, but the runs didn’t come at their usual breakneck speed. New Zealand showed better discipline with the ball and through a combination of slower balls, hard lengths and the brilliance of Santner had India reeling at 70/5.
Santner is a beast in white-ball cricket, arguably one of the best defensive spinners in world cricket currently. In the post-match press conference Santner described the wicket as tacky, allowing him to use the full spectrum of his variations. Santner’s ability to seamlessly change his bowling speeds and lengths comes down to a highly unique combination of biomechanics and deception. Just like his childhood hero Daniel Vettori he has never been a big turner of the ball, but he makes up for it by deceiving batters in the air rather than off the wicket.
His approach to the crease is rather peculiar. He runs in with initial momentum but decelerates to almost a walking pace with a pause at the crease before releasing the ball. The changes in pace are all delivered with the same arm speed which is achieved through imparting side spin or over spin to the ball. Being over six feet tall, his high release point provides natural dip and foxes batters into committing to the wrong length early. Santner’s figures of 4/21 enabled New Zealand to create tension and yet after his quota expired, India found a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
When Axar was dismissed, India still required a further 111 in 9.1 overs, an asking rate of over 12 runs per over. Tilak Varma added 42 in four overs with Naman Dhir, the aggressor and major contributor in this partnership as he clobbered his second ball for six and fetched two more maximums before he was dismissed for a cameo worth 31. India, at that stage, sought 69 of 31 at an asking rate of 13.5.
Tilak was joined by Nitish Kumar Reddy, and the two Andhra Pradesh boys got the job done. They focused on placing the ball in the gaps on the vast outfield, running hard between the wickets, putting the fielders under pressure which resulted in errors and finding the boundary when it was the need of the hour. With Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson both off the field due to niggles the Blackcaps had to bowl Duffy and Nathan Smith at the death; their inexperience at this level glaringly visible. Quizzed about the fitness regime that enables India to run so brilliantly between the wickets, Reddy smiled and said that he is an all-rounder and therefore works doubly hard at his fitness. He wants to contribute in all three aspects of the game. He acknowledged that he has had his share of injuries but has now developed a better understanding of his body.
India has won every single T20I match in which Tilak has remained unbeaten in a run chase, and he averages a stunning 76.14 in successful run chases. In a short career he has also developed a reputation as a big match player. He guided India home in the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan and then played a significant innings in the Asian Games gold medal match versus the same opponents. Cricket hasn’t always been a bed a roses for Tilak who was retired out as he was struggling to middle the ball during an IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants in 2025, but it is his ability to bounce back from setbacks like this which makes him different from his peers.
In 2022, when Tilak Varma was only 19, Rohit Sharma proclaimed he would soon be an all-format player for India. The cover drive that he hit of Duffy followed by the unbelievable six over wide long off that he consigned Smith to would have made Rohit proud. He is a rare combination of talent and temperament. His game awareness is top notch, and he has a calm head on his young shoulders. The last time an Indian cricketer had all those qualities a Bollywood movie was made on his life. Tilak has the looks and the locks to star in his own biopic one day.
His celebration on guiding India to victory was as emotional as it gets. First and foremost, the helmet came off and a mighty roar ensued. Next was a fist pump and a gesture to the heavens as if to thank the almighty. He put a finger on his lips, signalling that he will let his bat do all the talking, before he blocked his ears to convey he doesn’t listen to any outside noise. At last, he ran up to his batting partner Reddy and engulfed him in a hug. Modern day cricketers believe in expressing emotions. If that’s what helps them get the best out of themselves then why not.
A five-match series seems like a long one, but when you are 0-2 down like New Zealand the clock begins to tick treacherously. The action now moves to the Hnry Stadium in the capital city of Wellington where the teams will play on the first drop-in wicket of the series. New Zealand will need to pull up their socks. It will not only help them keep warm in the Wellington wind but bring them back into a series which is slipping away from them. They say third time’s a charm so while the crowd at the cake tin – the pet name for the venue given its cylindrical contours and silver metal exterior walls which make it resemble a baking vessel from up top – New Zealand would hope they finally get to savour the sweet taste of victory.
2 thoughts on “When a virtuoso wiped the smile off Indian faces virtually”
Thank you. Good coverage of. Great cricket
Thanks Raghunathan. Appreciate you taking the time to comment 🙏