India 0-3 New Zealand: Rohit Sharma’s men slump to historic low in home Tests
New Zealand scripted history by becoming the first team to beat India 3-0 in a three-match Test series on Indian soil.
India lost the third and final Test in Mumbai by 25 runs to slump to a humiliating result that has brought down the proud record, which was until October, the envy of the world.
India had won 18 home Test series on the trot since bouncing back from a 2-1 series loss to England in December 2012. However, the streak ended in Pune when New Zealand punched above their weight and stunned Rohit Sharma’s men.
Ironically, India’s biggest low in Test cricket history came at the Wankhede Stadium, the venue where they lifted the ODI World Cup 13 years ago.
“It is the greatest Test match performance by New Zealand in the history of our game,” Simon Doull, former New Zealand fast bowler, told the broadcasters, beaming with pride and highlighting the enormity of the achievement.
India hadn’t lost a Test series at home since 2012 before New Zealand came touring in October. And for the first time, India have failed to win a single Test in a home series with more than two Tests. Rishabh Pant’s valiant knock went in vain on Day 3 as New Zealand rode on Ajaz Patel’s heroics to script history.
HIGHLIGHTS OF MUMBAI TEST
India whitewashed in home Test series (minimum 3 matches) for first time
Ajaz Patel shines with 11-wicket match haul in Mumbai Test
Rishabh Pant’s valiant 64 in the second innings in vain
New Zealand defend a total less than 150 for only the second time in their history
Ravindra Jadeja’s 10-wicket haul goes in vain
Big guns Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fail consistently with the bat
The warning signs need to be taken seriously as India are in danger of missing out on a place in the World Test Championship final for the first time since the format was introduced in 2019. With their confidence and ego bruised, India are set to face a tough task when they tour Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
SPIN TO WIN: NEW ZEALAND’S MANTRA
It was another horror show from India on Sunday. The home team’s batting had gone from bad to worse as the series progressed as their inability to handle spin was exposed in Pune and Mumbai. India were rattled out for 46, their Test total at home in the first innings in the series opener in Bengaluru. If that was a humbling low, there were more to follow.
Tasked with the job of chasing 147 to salvage some pride in the third and final Test after Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with a five-wicket haul, India played shockingly poor cricket.
Captain Rohit Sharma triggered the collapse in the morning session by playing a ‘rash and needless’ shot as early as the third over of the innings. Rohit managed to stay only 11 deliveries in the middle and managed 11 runs before throwing it away in Matt Henry’s over.
Rohit’s dismissal contributed to panic in the Indian dressing room. And when Ajaz Patel found his rhythm, the man from Mumbai was unstoppable. He got the big wickets of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli to peg India back and hurt the home team’s confidence.
Sarffaraz Khan continued to falter against spin while Yashasvi Jaiswal was undone by off-spinner Glenn Phillips as India were reduced to 29 for 5.
However, Rishabh Pant kept India’s hopes alive with a gritty counter-punch. Pant showed the other Indian batters how to bat as he mixed caution with aggression. Pant trusted his instincts and put the New Zealand bowlers under pressure, getting to a fifty in a less-than-run-a-ball.
However, Pant was undone by Ajaz Patel in the post-Lunch session that titled the balance in New Zealand’s favour again. Pant was given out controversially and he was not one bit happy with the third umpire’s call after replays did not show conclusive evidence of an inside-edge.
Washington Sundar and R Ashwin tried to stall New Zealand’s charge after the big wicket of Rishabh Pant, but India’s resistance wore out. Ajaz and Glenn Phillips picked up the last three wickets to help New Zealand seal the win in two-and-a-half-days in Mumbai.