New Zealand gamers rejoice through the third day of the third and remaining Take a look at in opposition to India on the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 3, 2024. — AFP
New Zealand on Sunday accomplished a historic Take a look at whitewash in opposition to India by successful the third Take a look at to assert a 3-0 victory within the three-match red-ball sequence in opposition to the house facet.
The Black Caps dismissed the Indian facet for 121 on a tough wicket to safe a 25-run victory on day three of the third and remaining Take a look at in Mumbai.
The final time India have been blanked at dwelling was in 2000, in a two-match sequence in opposition to South Africa, and Rohit Sharma’s facet will probably be feeling the stress forward of a difficult five-match sequence in opposition to Australia beginning later this month.
Rishabh Pant was the lone Indian batsman to indicate resistance as he made a elegant 64 after the hosts have been decreased to 29-5 on a turning Wankhede Stadium observe.
Man-of-the-match Ajaz Patel claimed 6-57, his second five-wicket haul within the match, whereas fellow spinner Glenn Phillips took 3-42 to assist skittle the hosts once more for a well-known win.
“It’s seriously special first of all to win a Test match here at this historic ground but also to win a series 3-0,” stated Daryl Mitchell, who scored 82 within the first innings.
“It’s something you dream of. To come over here and actually achieve it is pretty special against a world-class Indian team [….] We’re just a bunch of Kiwis taking on the world,” he added.
The vacationers gained the opening match in Bengaluru by eight wickets for his or her first Take a look at victory in India in 36 years and wrapped up the sequence in Pune with a 113-run win.
New Zealand’s maiden sequence triumph in India going again to 1955 additionally snapped the hosts’ dwelling streak of 18 straight sequence triumphs since a 2-1 loss to England in 2012.
Throughout the third Take a look at, Sharma threw the primary punch by stepping out of his crease to hit Matt Henry for a 4 within the opening over of the day, however the skipper’s disappointing latest run of kind continued as he fell for 11 after a rash shot in opposition to the identical bowler.
Patel made it two wickets in two overs as Shubman Gill, who had scored a splendid 90 within the first innings, left a ball that crashed into the stumps and departed for one.
Virat Kohli didn’t final lengthy after arriving on the crease as he edged Patel again to slide on one to depart India in bother at 18-3 on a tough Wankhede Stadium pitch.
The group fell silent once more as Yashasvi Jaiswal was trapped lbw for 5 by Glenn Phillips and Sarfaraz Khan hit a full toss from Patel straight to Rachin Ravindra within the deep on one.
Ravindra Jadeja steadied the ship alongside Pant in a 42-run stand, however a surprising catch by Will Younger meant India have been on the ropes at 71-6.
Patel dismissed Pant following a New Zealand assessment after lunch, though the batsman appeared to counsel that he had not made contact with the ball earlier than it was caught.
The runs dried up after that and India collapsed in a heap with Washington Sundar the final to go whereas trying to go massive.
Expressing his views, Indian skipper Sharma stated: “Losing a series, losing a Test match is never easy. It’s not easily digested. But we didn’t play our best cricket and we accept that. New Zealand played better than us throughout.”
“There were a lot of mistakes that we made, we accept it […]. As a captain, I wasn’t at my best leading the team and with the bat as well,” he added.
