New Delhi [India], April 22: New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner has been awarded the prestigious Wisden Trophy for 2024, recognizing his remarkable 13-wicket match haul against India in Pune, according to the official Wisden website.
Santner’s figures of 13 for 157—including 7 for 53 in the first innings and 6 for 104 in the second—played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s landmark 3-0 Test series victory over India, their first ever on Indian soil. The performance stands alongside the legendary Richard Hadlee’s 15 for 123 against Australia in Brisbane during the 1985/86 season.
Santner also made key contributions with the bat, scoring a vital 33 runs in the first innings as wickets tumbled around him. He further impacted the match by running out Rishabh Pant for a duck in the second innings, underlining his all-round impact.
What makes Santner’s achievement even more extraordinary is that prior to this, he had never taken more than three wickets in a single innings across 28 Test matches. Known more for his controlled spells in white-ball cricket, Santner rose to the physical and tactical demands of Test cricket in emphatic fashion.
Historically, New Zealand had struggled in India, with just two wins and 17 defeats across 12 previous tours. Their 3-0 clean sweep in 2024 marked the first time India had been whitewashed at home since the formidable West Indies team of 1983-84.
Interestingly, this match was Santner’s only appearance in the series. He had missed the opening Test in Bengaluru due to team selection—Glenn Phillips and Ajaz Patel were preferred—and was sidelined in Mumbai with a side strain. Yet, his lone performance proved iconic and series-defining.
A left-arm spinner and left-handed batsman, Santner rose through the ranks after an impressive 2014–15 domestic season. He was first called into the national side following Daniel Vettori’s retirement and debuted in the historic day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide in 2015.
Across formats, Santner has played 257 international matches, scoring 3,229 runs with one century and eight fifties, and claiming 320 wickets—his best bowling figures being 7 for 53 against India.