India (Commonwealth) _ On day three of the third and final Test match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, New Zealand scored an exciting 25-run victory to complete a record 3-0 series clean sweep against India.
India’s loss is their first in a three-test or longer series and their first clean-sweep loss in a home Test series since South Africa’s 2-0 victory in 2000. Prior to their eight-wicket triumph in the series opener in Bengaluru, New Zealand had not won a Test series in India and had not won a Test in 36 years.
Black Caps batsman Daryl Mitchell, who struck 82 in the first inning, said it’s extremely amazing to win a Test match here at the most popular and historic playing ground and to win a series 3-0.
You have a dream about it. It’s quite unique to come over here and succeed against a top-tier Indian team. “We’re just some Kiwis trying to conquer the globe”. In the afternoon session, Ajaz Patel, a spinner, took 6-57, leading the hosts, who were chasing 147 for victory, to 121.
After falling to 29-5, India appeared headed for an even more crushing defeat, but a strong half-century from Rishabh Pant gave them hope. However, Pant’s dismissal for 64 shortly after noon gave New Zealand back control of the match.
After multiple replays, the TV umpire overruled the ruling that Pant was not out on the field, concluding that the ball had brushed his bat and then clipped the pad on its way to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.
With just 15 runs added for the final three wickets, India collapsed to 106-7. Patel finished the victory with match stats of 11-160. After starting the day at 171-9, New Zealand managed only three more runs before Ravindra Jadeja removed Patel, finishing with 5-55 and match numbers of 10-120.
The victory has seriously hurt India‘s chances of making it to the World Test Championship final for the third consecutive year, but it keeps New Zealand’s dreams of making it to the June final alive.
The only Indian batsman to show tenacity after the hosts were reduced to 29 for five on a winding wicket at Wankhede Stadium was Rishabh Pant, who scored an amazing 64. In order to help skittle the hosts once more, fellow spinner Glenn Phillips took three for 42, while player of the match Ajaz Patel took six for 57, his second five-wicket haul of the match.
After Shubman Gill, who had scored an impressive 90 in the first innings, left a ball that crashed into the stumps and was out for one, Patel took two wickets in two overs. Virat Kohli got Patel to slip on one, which led to his dismissal at 18 for three. The crowd hushed again when Glenn Phillips caught Yashasvi Jaiswal leg before wicket for five, and Sarfaraz Khan smashed a full ball from Patel straight to Rachin Ravindra in the deep on one.
Pant and Ravindra Jadeja calmed the ship with a 42-run partnership, but Will Young’s spectacular catch put India at 71 for six. After a review in New Zealand, Patel fired Pant after Shubman Gill, who had hit an incredible 90 in the first innings, left one that smashed into the stumps and went out for one, allowing Patel to take two wickets in two overs.
Virat Kohli got Patel to slip on one, which led to his dismissal at 18 for three. The crowd hushed again when Glenn Phillips caught Yashasvi Jaiswal leg before wicket for five, and Sarfaraz Khan smashed a full ball from Patel straight to Rachin Ravindra in the deep on one.
Pant and Ravindra Jadeja calmed the ship with a 42-run partnership, but Will Young’s spectacular catch put India at 71 for six. After lunch, Patel dismissed Pant following a New Zealand review, despite the batsman’s apparent inability to make contact with the ball prior to its catch. After that, the runs ceased to flow, and India began to crumble, with Washington Sundar being the final player to fall as he attempted to win a major match.
“Losing a Test match or a series is never easy,” Sharma stated. It is difficult to digest. However, we acknowledge that we didn’t play our best cricket. Throughout the game, New Zealand outperformed us. We acknowledge that we made a lot of mistakes. I wasn’t playing at my best as captain, both as a team leader and as a batsman.
