New Zealand are on the verge of a historic Test win, with India fading away in the chase

Off-spinner Mitchell Santner put New Zealand on the brink of their first Test series win in India, reducing the hosts to 178 for seven at tea in a chase of 359 on Saturday.

Santner, who took 7-53 in India’s first innings of 156, thrashed the Indian batting with five wickets on the third day of the second Test on a revolving pitch in Pune.

Ravindra Jadeja, on four, and Ravichandran Ashwin, on nine, were batting at the break as India stared at their first Test series defeat at home since December 2012.

India bowled out New Zealand for 255 inside the first hour of play, with opener Yashaswi Jaiswal in his 65-ball 77 coming into the attack to raise hopes of a miracle.

India lost skipper Rohit Sharma for eight but were 81-1 at lunch in 12 overs.

Santner bowled Shubman Gill for 23 shortly after the break to end a 62-run second wicket stand with left-hander Jaiswal, who stepped up after reaching his fifty.

Finally, the in-form player got Jaiswal to chip in, ran out Rishabh Pant for a duck and trapped Virat Kohli lbw, reducing India’s chances.

Glenn Phillips took the wicket of Washington Sundar for 21.

The most successful Test chase for India at home was 387 against England in Chennai in 2008.

New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match – their first Test win on Indian soil since 1988.

Indian spinners Sundar and Jadeja shared seven wickets between them in the second innings, with Jadeja claiming three of his five wickets on Saturday morning.

INDIA: Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashaswi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wkt), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah

NEW ZEALAND: Tom Latham (capt), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (inc), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William O’Rourke