IND vs NZ: Washington Sundar Claims a Fifer on Return - A Comprehensive Look at Test Records Broken By Off-Spinner on Day 1 in Pune

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Pune, Oct 24: India's talented all-rounder Washington Sundar etched his name in record books with a stunning bowling display during the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand in Pune.

Chosen ahead of Kuldeep Yadav, Washington repaid the team management's trust by registering career-best figures of 7/59 in just his fifth Test match, helping India bundle out New Zealand for 259 in 79.1 overs.

His performance gave India a strong start and set several milestones that highlight the off-spinner's rising stature in Indian cricket.

List of Records Achieved by Washington Sundar in Pune Test

1. Career-Best Figures in Test Cricket: 7/59. Sundar's incredible haul of seven wickets marks the best performance of his Test career to date. He became only the fourth Indian spinner to claim 7 wickets or more in a Test innings against New Zealand, matching R Ashwin's 7/59 from 2017.

Top Figures for India vs New Zealand in Tests:

1. 8/72 - S Venkatraghavan (Delhi, 1965)
2. 8/76 - EAS Prasanna (Auckland, 1975)
3. 7/59 - R Ashwin (Indore, 2017)
4. 7/59 - Washington Sundar (Pune, 2024)

Interestingly, three out of these four players-Venkatraghavan, Ashwin, and Washington Sundar-have roots in Tamil Nadu cricket, underlining the state's contribution to India's spin bowling legacy.

2. First Five-Wicket Haul in Test Cricket

This match marked Sundar's maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket. It was also his first five-fer in all First-Class (FC) cricket since August 2022 and his first on Indian soil since October 2017, demonstrating his ability to rise to the occasion on the biggest stage.

3. Most Bowled Dismissals by an Indian Bowler in a Single Innings

Sundar achieved the rare feat of bowling out five batters in the same innings-an elite accomplishment in Indian cricket.

Indian bowlers with five bowled dismissals in an innings:

1. Jasubhai Patel vs Australia, Kanpur, 1959
2. Bapu Nadkarni vs Australia, Brabourne, 1960
3. Anil Kumble vs South Africa, Johannesburg, 1992
4. Ravindra Jadeja vs Australia, Delhi, 2023
5. Washington Sundar vs New Zealand, Pune, 2024

4. All Ten First Innings Wickets Taken by Spinners

The Pune Test added another feather to the cap of Indian spin dominance. Sundar and R Ashwin accounted for all 10 New Zealand wickets in the first innings, marking just the seventh instance in India's Test history where spinners took all 10 first-innings wickets on day one of a Test match.

Instances of Spinners Taking All 10 First-Innings Wickets on Day 1 in India:

• India vs New Zealand, Pune, 2024
• India vs England, Dharamsala, 2024
• India vs England, Chennai, 1973
• India vs Australia, Chennai, 1964
• India vs Australia, Kolkata, 1956
• England vs India, Kanpur, 1952

5. A Turnaround Spell: Collapsing New Zealand's Innings

• New Zealand was cruising at 197/3, with Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65) setting a solid foundation. However, Sundar's introduction into the attack sparked a dramatic collapse.
• New Zealand lost their last seven wickets for just 62 runs, with Sundar taking five of those seven dismissals.