New Zealand He recently achieved the extraordinary feat of achieving a clean sweep in a Test series against Indiasuccessfully Defending a target of 147 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Indian side were bowled out for just 121 runs on a spin-friendly pitch, marking their third straight defeat to the Black Caps. The defeat represents a significant setback for India as it marks the first time they have been whitewashed at home in a series of three or more Tests.
Reactions from Indian cricket icons
The surprising series loss drew strong criticism from former Indian cricket legends. Virender Sehwag He did not back down from his criticism of his team Rohit Sharma‘s captaincy pointed to his disappointing performances, particularly in relation to his experimental tactics in Test cricket. Sehwag emphasized the importance of skill building to face the spin and congratulated Tom Latham for his outstanding achievements with the New Zealand team. He stated that while fan support is vital, the team’s poor performance calls for honest introspection about their overall performance.
“While it is important as a fan to support the team, this was a terrible performance from our team. The ability to play spin certainly needs improvement and certain practices are good for the shorter format, but it was really poor to do some unnecessary practices for it in Test cricket. Congratulations to Tom Latham and his @blackcapsnz boys for doing what every visiting team dreams of and nobody can beat this way.” Sehwag wrote on his Instagram page.
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Notably, India have not lost a home series since 2012, while New Zealand have not secured a Test win in India since 1988. Considering their key player Kane Williamson is out with injury and just 2 points. -0 defeat on spinning tracks in Sri Lanka, a remarkable performance by the Black Caps came as a surprise for the Indian team.
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Sachin Tendulkar calls for reflection after India’s disappointing show
Legend Sachin Tendulkar also reacted to India’s poor show, describing the series loss as a difficult experience that required deep reflection on the team’s performance. He raised questions about potential factors that could have contributed to the defeat, such as inadequate preparation, poor shot selection or lack of match experience.
Tendulkar praised Shubman Gill for his consistency in the first innings and praised Rishabh Pant for his outstanding performance in both innings, noting that his impressive footwork transformed the difficult pitch. He acknowledged New Zealand’s exceptional consistency throughout the series and concluded by highlighting the 3-0 win in India as a remarkable achievement.
“Losing 3-0 at home is a tough pill to swallow and requires introspection. Lack of preparation, poor shot selection or lack of game practice? @ShubmanGill showed solidity in the first innings and @RishabhPant17 was brilliant in both innings— his footwork made a tough surface look like a completely different one. He was just great. Full credit to New Zealand for their consistent performances throughout the series. “A 3-0 win in India is as good as you can get.” Tendulkar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Losing 3-0 at home is a tough pill to swallow and requires introspection.
Lack of preparation, poor shot selection or lack of game practice? @ShubmanGill showed solidity in the first innings and @RishabhPant17 was brilliant in both innings – his… pic.twitter.com/8f1WifI5Hd— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 3, 2024
Anil Kumble re-evaluates his home pitch strategy
Former India spinner Anil Kumble spoke about the pitch conditions and the Indian strategy of making slow tracks. He emphasized the need for India to reassess their pitches, noting that the current conditions may not be conducive to their success. Kumble believed that the team needed to recognize and understand the types of surfaces that would best support their style of play.
He recalled the discussions before the Test match in Pune and emphasized the “spin to win” strategy. However, the veteran admitted that this approach inadvertently allowed New Zealand to perform very well. His remarks emphasize the importance of strategic pitch preparation and adapting to the needs of the game.
“I think it’s about time (India reassessed their pitches). If it wasn’t before the start of the Test match, that’s certainly something that India have to respect and then, you know, you have to figure out what kind of surfaces to play on. I think we talked about it even before the start of the Test match in Pune. It was a comeback to win. But it certainly gave New Zealand a chance to go out there and then do what they do so well. I mean kudos to them” said Kumble at Jio Cinema.
The psychological effect of blows
Kumble reflected on the psychological impact of the difficult pitch conditions on India’s batsmen throughout the series. He noted that the top order has struggled significantly, with very few sessions in which they have been able to build partnerships, particularly with no significant contributions other than a partnership in Bengaluru. Kumble’s comments suggested that this pattern of performance revealed deeper issues about the players’ mentality and approach to the game. He called for introspection on their attitude and readiness to face such challenges, stating that these factors played a decisive role in their disappointing results.
“I think the pitch got to the heads of the Indian batsmen… except for a partnership in Bangalore in the second innings, we didn’t bat for a session throughout the series. Also, you know, after five innings, you kind of cross the batting line, say the Indian batting line-up in a session, of course, it takes approach, attitude and of course a lot of questioning and how do you get out of that.” Kumble added.
