India humbled at home with historic 0-3 loss

Mumbai: In a turn of events that stunned the cricketing world, the Indian cricket team suffered an unprecedented whitewash at home, losing all three matches of a Test series to New Zealand. This marked the first time in India’s storied Test history, dating back to 1933, that they were defeated 3-0 in a home series. The Wankhede Stadium crowd, who only a few months ago had celebrated India’s T20 World Cup triumph, sat in silence as the fortress of Indian cricket crumbled to dust on Sunday.

The Indian squad, fielding a full-strength team, was tipped to dominate the Black Caps, a side that arrived in India reeling from a 0-2 defeat to a transitioning Sri Lankan team. Adding to their woes, New Zealand’s star batsman, Kane Williamson, was sidelined due to injury. Yet, the visitors showcased resilience, determination, and discipline, outclassing India in all departments. The final blow came in the third Test when India, needing only 147 runs to avoid a whitewash, fell agonisingly short by 25 runs, sending shockwaves across the cricketing community. “This is a very low point of my career, and I take full responsibility for it,” a visibly disheartened Rohit Sharma, the Indian skipper, admitted in the post-match press conference.

“With the bat, I was not good enough,” he said.

Ajaz Patel, New Zealand’s left-arm spinner and a local of Mumbai’s Jogeshwari neighbourhood, haunted his hometown team with an 11-wicket haul that left the Indian batsmen floundering. Patel’s incredible performance made him the most successful overseas bowler at Wankhede, amassing 25 wickets in just two matches, surpassing England legend Ian Botham.

India’s batting lineup, including big names like Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Sarfaraz Khan, appeared unprepared for Patel’s guile. Five wickets fell for a mere 16 runs, marking the beginning of a dramatic collapse. Patel was brilliantly supported by New Zealand’s pace attack, with Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips sharing pivotal wickets that disrupted India’s pursuit.

India’s chase depended heavily on Rishabh Pant, who had scored a swashbuckling 64 off just 57 balls. Despite the top order faltering, Pant countered with his fearless brand of cricket, striking nine boundaries and a six to keep India’s hopes alive.

Unfortunately, his heroic effort came to an end due to a controversial caught-behind decision, courtesy of the third umpire, former Australian cricketer Paul Reiffel. The contentious decision, which showed a slight spike on DRS that Pant insisted was due to his bat brushing his pad, further soured India’s already bitter day.

Pant’s dismissal left India with 55 runs to chase and just four wickets in hand. Though India’s lower order showed brief resistance, Patel’s relentless bowling and Phillips’ tight line claimed the remaining wickets, sealing a memorable victory for New Zealand.

Rohit Sharma’s leadership, particularly his aggressive batting approach, came under scrutiny. Attempting his trademark pull shot off a delivery from Henry, Rohit top-edged and was caught by Phillips. With critics questioning the shot selection, Rohit’s future as India’s Test captain may be in question, as the team faces growing pressure to revive its fortunes.

Virat Kohli’s struggle continued as well, dismissed for just one run after failing to negotiate a floating delivery that nicked his bat to slip. Shubman Gill, one of India’s brightest young talents, played an ill-judged leave, allowing Patel’s delivery to crash into his off-stump. The dismissals underscored India’s lack of composure and inability to adapt to the challenging conditions.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir, a former Test opener known for his aggressive mindset, had maintained a confident stance about India’s chances in the series.

However, the whitewash has raised doubts about his approach and strategy, particularly with the Australian tour on the horizon. Set to begin on November 22, the series in Australia will be crucial for India, not just for redemption but also to keep their hopes alive in the World Test Championship (WTC).

With this defeat, India dropped from the top position on the WTC points table, and a place in the final, once seemingly assured, is now under serious threat. Gambhir will have to address the team’s deficiencies, including their over-reliance on specific players and inability to adapt to spin-friendly conditions, a hallmark of Indian cricket for decades.

For Indian fans, the shock defeat bore an uncomfortable resemblance to the humiliating 0-2 series loss against South Africa in 2000. Under Kapil Dev’s coaching and Sachin Tendulkar’s captaincy, India had then suffered one of its worst defeats in Test history. The outcome led to Kapil’s resignation and marked the end of Tendulkar’s tenure as captain. As India now grapples with another humiliating home loss, questions loom over the futures of several players and coaching staff.

Patel’s phenomenal success at Wankhede is a story of local pride and relentless perseverance. His astounding 25 wickets in two matches underscore his mastery of the conditions and his ability to exploit every nuance of the Wankhede pitch. With this performance, Patel has solidified his place as one of New Zealand’s premier spinners and earned a place in the pantheon of overseas players who have left an indelible mark on Indian soil.

The third umpire’s decision that dismissed Pant stirred an uproar among Indian fans and former players alike. While the Decision Review System (DRS) is intended to minimise errors, controversies like this continue to mar the game. The ruling left many questioning the reliability of DRS and reignited the debate on how much weight should be given to technology over the judgement of on-field umpires.

Pant’s frustration was evident as he left the field, knowing that his dismissal had all but ended India’s chances. His attacking play and unwavering spirit offered a glimmer of hope for a team struggling to find its rhythm, yet his dismissal highlighted India’s vulnerability to unexpected variables. As the dust settles on this humiliating series loss, Indian cricket finds itself at a crossroads. With key players out of form and leadership strategies under question, the team faces a challenging road to redemption. The upcoming tour of Australia, against a confident Australian side on their turf, will test India’s mental and physical resilience. with agency inputs