Gutsy New Zealand completes historical series in India

:New Zealand capped a tough tour of Asia with an unprecedented 3-0 series win in India, while the bruised and battered home side will face uncomfortable questions ahead of their trip to Australia for five Tests.

The Black Caps’ spinners ran riot on a challenging wicket in Mumbai to dismiss India for 121 in the second innings and secure a famous 25-run win on the third day of the third and final Test on Sunday.

The last time India were knocked out at home was in 2000, in a two-match series against South Africa, and Rohit Sharma’s side were completely outplayed by the tourists in various circumstances.

“We’re excited. Looking back at the start of the series and now being in this position, the boys have done a fantastic job over the last three Tests,” said New Zealand’s new regular skipper Tom Latham, who took over after some 2 matches. -0 defeat in Sri Lanka.

“We talked about it after every Test match, trying to support it, and I think here in Mumbai we can finally do it on a completely different surface, a surface that challenged us with bat and ball. We are quite happy.

“Just being able to adapt to any terrain… Different guys stood up at different times. That’s the great thing about team sports. It was a great team effort. I’m proud of the guys.”

India dropped to second place below Australia in the World Test Championship rankings and will need a big effort to reach a third straight final next year.

Rishabh Pant was the only Indian batsman to show resistance as he made a sublime 64 after the hosts were reduced to 29-5 on a spinning Wankhede Stadium pitch.

Mumbai-born man-of-the-match Ajaz Patel finished with 6-57, his second five-wicket haul of the match, while fellow spinner Glenn Phillips took 3-42 to help the hosts achieve another low score in the series. .

“It’s very special, first of all, to win a Test match here at this historic ground, but also to win a series 3-0,” said Daryl Mitchell, who scored 82 in the first innings.

“It’s something you dream about. To come here and actually achieve it is pretty special against a world-class Indian team.

“We’re just a bunch of Kiwis who want to conquer the world.”

The tourists blew India away at pace, winning the opening match in Bengaluru by eight wickets for their first Test win in India in 36 years, and ended the series days later on a turning wicket in Pune with a 113-run win.

TRUST THOUGHT

In Mumbai, New Zealand stayed cool in the oppressive heat and humidity to dismantle India, denting the hosts’ confidence before they faced Australia from November 22.

India’s first New Zealand series win, dating back to 1955, also broke the home run of 18 straight wins since the 2-1 defeat to England in 2012.

Rohit struck the first blow by stepping out of his crease and hitting Matt Henry for a four in the first over, but the skipper’s disappointing recent form continued as he fell for 11 after a rash shot against the same bowler.

He now has just a half-century in 10 innings, with six single-figure scores.

Patel made it two wickets in two overs when Shubman Gill, who had scored a whopping 90 in the first innings, left a ball to bounce off the stumps and departed for one.

The out-of-form Virat Kohli didn’t last long after arriving at the crease as he prompted Patel to put one on.

The crowd fell silent again as Yashasvi Jaiswal was trapped five times by Glenn Phillips and Sarfaraz Khan hit a full toss from Patel straight to Rachin Ravindra in the deep on one.

Ravindra Jadeja steadied the ship alongside Pant in a 42-run stand, but a stunning catch from Will Young left India on the ropes at 71-6.

Patel dismissed Pant following a review from New Zealand after lunch, although the batsman appeared to suggest he had not made contact with the ball before it was taken.

The runs dried up after that and India crumbled, with Washington Sundar the last to leave as he looked to make it big.

“Losing a series, losing a Test match is never easy. It’s not easy to digest. But we didn’t play our best cricket and we accept that. New Zealand played better than us all the time,” Rohit said.

“There have been a lot of mistakes that we have made, we accept that… As captain, I was not at my best in leading the team or with the bat.”

New Zealand earlier resumed their second innings at 171-9, but India needed just 14 balls to bowl out the Black Caps as Jadeja had Patel caught in the deep to finish with 5-55, having scored five in the first stanza.