New Zealand recently reached an extraordinary achievement by executing a clean sweep in a Test series against India, successfully defending a target of 147 runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Indian side faltered on a spin-friendly pitch, being dismissed for just 121 runs, which signifies their third straight loss to the Black Caps. This defeat represents a considerable downturn for India, as it marks the first instance of them being whitewashed at home in a series comprising three or more Tests.
Reactions from Indian cricket icons
The surprising series loss has elicited strong criticism from past Indian cricket legends. Virender Sehwag did not hold back in his criticism of the team under Rohit Sharma‘s captaincy, pointing out their disappointing performance, especially regarding their experimental tactics in Test cricket. Sehwag stressed the importance of enhancing skills for facing spin and congratulated Tom Latham along with the New Zealand team for their outstanding accomplishment. He expressed that while support from fans is vital, the team’s poor performance called for sincere introspection regarding their overall play.
“While as supporters it’s imperative to support the team but this has been a terrible performance from our team. The skill to play spin certainly needs an upgrade and certain experimentations are good for the shorter format but in Test cricket doing some needless experimentations just for the sake of it was indeed poor. Congratulations to Tom Latham and his @blackcapsnz boys on doing what is a dream for every visiting team and no other could conquer in this way,” Sehwag wrote on his Instagram post.
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It’s important to highlight that India had not suffered a series defeat at home since 2012, while New Zealand had not secured a Test victory in India since 1988. Given that their key player Kane Williamson was sidelined due to injury and they had just faced a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka on spinning tracks, the Black Caps’ remarkable performance came as a surprise to the Indian team.
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Sachin Tendulkar calls for reflection after disappointing show by India
Legendary Sachin Tendulkar also reacted on India’s poor show, describing the series loss as a difficult experience that necessitates deep reflection on the team’s performance. He raised questions about potential factors contributing to the defeat, such as insufficient preparation, poor shot selection, or lack of match practice.
Tendulkar praised Shubman Gill for his resilience in the first innings and lauded Rishabh Pant for his outstanding performance in both innings, noting that his impressive footwork transformed a challenging pitch. He concluded by acknowledging New Zealand’s exceptional consistency throughout the series, highlighting that securing a 3-0 victory in India is a remarkable achievement.
“Losing 3-0 at home is a tough pill to swallow, and it calls for introspection. Was it lack of preparation, was it poor shot selection, or was it lack of match practice? @ShubmanGill showed resilience in the first innings, and @RishabhPant17 was brilliant in both innings— his footwork made a challenging surface look like a different one altogether. He was simply superb. Full credit to New Zealand for their consistent performance throughout the series. Winning 3-0 in India is as good a result as it can get,” wrote Tendulkar on X (Formerly Twitter).
Losing 3-0 at home is a tough pill to swallow, and it calls for introspection.
Was it lack of preparation, was it poor shot selection, or was it lack of match practice? @ShubmanGill showed resilience 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 on reevaluating home pitch strategy
Former India spinner Anil Kumble spoke about the pitch conditions and India strategy regarding making slow tracks. He emphasized the necessity for India to reevaluate their home pitches, indicating that the current conditions may not be conducive to their success. Kumble reckoned that the team must acknowledge and understand the types of surfaces that would best support their playstyle.
He recalled discussions held prior to the Test match in Pune, highlighting a strategy of “spin to win.” However, the veteran acknowledged that this approach inadvertently provided New Zealand an opportunity to perform exceptionally well. His remarks underline the importance of strategic pitch preparation and adapting to the needs of the game.
“I think it’s about time (India reassess their home pitches). If it was not even before the start of this Test match, it certainly something that India needs to respect and then, you know, understand what kind of surfaces you need to play on as well. I think we spoke about it even in Pune before the start of the Test match itself. It was spin to win. But it’s certainly gave New Zealand a chance to come out there and then do what they have done exceptionally well. I mean, kudos to them,” said Kumble on Jio Cinema.
Psychological impact on batters
Kumble reflected on the psychological impact that the challenging pitch conditions had on India’s batters throughout the series. He pointed out that the top order struggled significantly, with very few sessions where they managed to build partnerships, particularly noting the lack of significant contributions aside from one partnership in Bangaluru. Kumble’s comments suggested that this pattern of performance reveals deeper issues regarding the players’ mindset and approach to the game. He called for introspection regarding their attitude and readiness to tackle such challenges, implying that these factors played a crucial role in their disappointing results.
“I think the pitch got to the heads of the Indian batters…the top order not even batting a session throughout the series, except for that one partnership in Bangalore in the second innings. Other than that, you know in five innings to sort of just go through a batting line up, like the Indian batting line up in one session certainly says a lot about the approach, the attitude and of course, needs a lot of questioning and how you could come out of this,” added Kumble.
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