New Zealand sealed their historic 3-0 sweep over India with a hard-won 25-run victory over the third day of the final Test at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. This was New Zealand’s first Test series win over India, something they failed to do in the previous attempts, and the first time in 36 years that they won a test on Indian soil.
The result also meant that this was India’s first clean-sweep home Test series defeat since 2000 when South Africa won 2-0, and the first time India lost all games in a three-Test series at home.
It was a game pretty much dominated by a sequence of sharp battles, as New Zealand got to bat first and scored 235, courtesy of an 82 by Daryl Mitchell and a 71 by Will Young.India replied with 263 runs; Shubman Gill batted well to 90, while Rishabh Pant chased the score with a whirlwind 60. From New Zealand, Ajaz Patel lent vital support with five wickets.
However, New Zealand’s second innings was much more sedate and ended on 174, Young scoring his third half-century. Ravindra Jadeja was excellent with his bowling as he took another five wicket haul to end on match figures of 10-120.
Set a target of 147, India got off to a wobbly start and relied heavily on Rishabh Pant to salvage the day who hit a courageous 64 and was out shortly after lunch. India could not repeat their spirited effort in returning the innings to 121 before Ajaz Patel, having another match-winning spell after his 10 wickets return, took 6 wickets for 57 at the end to end his match figures at 11 for 160.
Patel’s fast bowling, which has to be one of the closest to perfection on a wearing Indian wicket, indeed was the reason for their historic win over New Zealand here. According to Daryl Mitchell, it was great for New Zealand to triumph on Indian side’s turf, because they had not won the series there till date. He said that team pride winning the series has been great.
This keeps New Zealand in the reckoning to qualify for the World Test Championship final although it makes it significantly difficult for India, who were also looking forward to a consecutive third stint in the finale.
