The Indian cricket team experienced the unthinkable, suffering a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand after a batting collapse while chasing 147 runs to win on Day 3 of the third and final Test match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. (Match Highlights | More Cricket News)
New Zealand not only ended India's 12-year unbeaten streak at home by winning the first two matches, but they also made history by becoming the first team to achieve a 3-0 series victory in India.
New Zealand overcame the brilliance of Rishabh Pant to achieve an unprecedented feat of a whitewash against India on Indian soil. The Kiwis secured victory in the third Test by 25 runs at Wankhede Stadium, clinching the series 3-0.
In their pursuit of a target that seemed manageable for the mighty Indian team, India quickly found themselves five wickets down, with both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli dismissed cheaply. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, who had shown good form throughout the series, also struggled to make an impact.
Here’s what captain Rohit Sharma had to say about the defeat after the match.
Sharma said, "Losing a series, a Test match, is never easy... something that is not easily digestible. We didn't play our best cricket, NZ played better throughout the series."
"There were a lot of mistakes we did. The first two Tests we did not put enough runs in the first innings. This game we got the 30 runs [28] lead and the target was chase-able. We failed as a unit. When you are chasing a target like that, you want runs on the board." He added.
Sharma reflected, "That was on my mind, but it didn't come off. When things don't go as planned, it doesn't look great. I entered with certain strategies, but they didn't work in this series. We didn’t play our best cricket in these conditions, and we're facing the consequences."
He also acknowledged the performances of Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Washington Sundar, saying, "They demonstrated how to bat on those surfaces. You have to be proactive. Over the last three to four years, we've been playing on pitches like that. Unfortunately, this series was one where we tried certain things that didn’t work out. I wasn't at my best as captain or with the bat. As a unit, we collectively failed to perform."
What seemed like a straightforward chase quickly turned into a nightmare for the Indian fans and team, as they faced a dramatic collapse that left everyone in the stadium shocked.
Following the defeat, India slipped from the top position in the World Test Championship standings to second place. With the Border-Gavaskar series on the horizon, Australia has now claimed the top spot.
