At the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, October 3, home team India lost the third Test match against New Zealand by a margin of 25 runs. This defeat made New Zealand the first team to whitewash India in a sequence of more than two Test matches, and it was the first time they had been whitewashed at home since 2000. Former India legend Sachin Tendulkar urged the team to reflect on themselves shortly after the heartbreaking defeat.
After giving up a lead of over 100 runs in a row for the first time since 2021, the Indian team came under heavy fire for their poor batting performance. Apart from Sarfaraz Khan, no other batter reached a century. Sachin Tendulkar praised Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant for their half-centuries in the third Test and gave New Zealand credit for their victory.
It’s difficult to accept losing 3-0 at home, and it necessitates reflection. Was it insufficient practice for the match, bad shot selection, or a lack of preparation? Rishabh Pant was outstanding in both innings; his footwork transformed a difficult surface into something completely different, and Shubman Gill shown tenacity in the opening innings.
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He was really wonderful. For their steady performance throughout the series, New Zealand deserves all the praise. “Winning 3-0 in India is the best outcome possible,” Tendulkar wrote on his ‘X’ handle.
Check out Sachin Tendulkar’s latest post here:
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
India failing to chase target below 200 in a Test
Target | Opponent | Venue | Year |
120 | West Indies | Bridgetown | 1997 |
147 | New Zealand | Wankhede | 2024 |
176 | Sri Lanka | Galle | 2015 |
194 | England | Edgbaston | 2018 |
Lowest target defended successfully by New Zealand
Target | Opponent | Venue | Year |
137 | England | Wellington | 1978 |
147 | New Zealand | Wankhede | 2024 |
176 | Pakistan | Abu Dhabi | 2018 |
241 | Australia | Hobart | 2011 |
246 | England | The Oval | 1999 |