India suffers first ever 3-0 clean sweep in Tests on home soil after Kiwis win Mumbai clash by 25 runs

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Nov 3, 2024, 1:29 PM IST

India lost to New Zealand by 25 runs in Mumbai, marking their first home Test series whitewash. Rishabh Pant scored 64, but the team faltered. New Zealand completed a 3-0 sweep, while India fell to second in the World Test Championship standings.

India faced a 25-run defeat against New Zealand in the third Test of their series held in Mumbai, marking the first time India has been whitewashed at home in a Test series. Chasing a target of 147 runs, India struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at an alarming rate. Rishabh Pant was the standout performer for India, scoring 64 runs, while Washington Sundar managed only 12 runs, leaving the team reeling.

New Zealand's Ajaz Patel emerged as the star bowler of the match, taking an impressive 11 wickets across both innings (5 in the first and 6 in the second). This victory allowed the Kiwis to complete a clean sweep of the three-match series, finishing 3-0.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Day 2: New Zealand lead by 143 runs with one wicket in hand

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With this defeat, India dropped to second place in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings for the 2023-2025 cycle. The Rohit Sharma-led team started the series at the top but saw their position slip away following this crushing loss. Australia now leads the standings after India's disappointing performance, and the two teams will clash again in a five-match series beginning on November 22.

New Zealand's win moved them up to fourth place, keeping them in contention for a spot in the WTC final. Sri Lanka and South Africa follow closely in third and fifth places, respectively, also aiming for a chance to qualify for the final at Lord’s in June 2025.

Ajaz Patel's five-wicket haul was capped by the crucial wicket of Rishabh Pant, who was dismissed after a promising innings. As India lost their top order, they depended on Ravichandran Ashwin and Sundar to form a stable partnership in their chase. However, the Kiwi bowlers were persistent, eager to secure a series sweep.

Ravindra Jadeja shone for India, completing a ten-wicket haul in the match, as he wrapped up New Zealand's second innings for 174 runs on Day 3. Resuming the day at 171/9, Jadeja quickly took the final wicket, leaving India with a target of 147. Despite Jadeja's efforts, the Indian batting lineup faltered, ultimately falling short.

IND vs NZ 3rd Test: India takes slender first innings lead; Ajaz Patel picks up five wickets

This series marked a historic low for Indian cricket, being the first clean sweep at home since South Africa's 2-0 victory in the 1999-2000 series. As a result of this defeat, India saw a drop in their points percentage (PCT) to 58.33, while Australia now holds the top spot with a PCT of 62.5.

Rohit Sharma’s squad must regroup quickly as they cannot afford any further losses in their remaining five matches if they hope to qualify for the WTC final on their own terms. With a maximum of 158 points achievable from their remaining games, they will need to perform exceptionally well to secure their place.

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