Kiwis become 1st team to whitewash India at home in 3-match Test series

November 3, 2024, is a date that might linger painfully in the memories of captain Rohit Sharma. His Indian cricket team became the first to suffer a clean sweep on home soil in a Test series involving three or more matches. The defeat came as India stumbled in their chase of a modest 147-run target at the storied Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai—a ground where, years earlier, South Africa had successfully chased down 164 runs, becoming the first team to sweep India in a series on Indian soil after winning the second Test in Bengaluru.

 

That fateful series in 2000 saw Hansie Cronje’s South African team make history. For nearly a quarter of a century, they stood alone in this achievement—until October 3, when Tom Latham’s New Zealand side stunned the world by replicating the feat, sweeping India 3-0.

 

The irony is thick. In 2000, the Indian captain hailing from Mumbai was none other than Sachin Tendulkar, the “Master Blaster” himself. Twenty-four years later, it was another beloved Mumbaikar, Rohit Sharma, whose team faced the same fateful horrid defeat at home.

  New Zealand registered their first-ever Test series win in India as they beat the hosts by 25 runs on Day 3 of the 3rd Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.  Check India vs New Zealand 3rd Test full scorecard here  

India failed to chase down a 147-run target on day 3 of the Test after bundling out the Kiwis for just 171 runs in the 2nd innings.

 

On a spin-friendly track in Mumbai, the Indian batters struggled against the Kiwi spinners, with the top order falling prey within the first 7 overs.

 

This is India's first Test series defeat at home since 2012 and the first time ever that India has been defeated 3-0 in a Test series on home soil. 

India failing to chase target under 200 in a Test
Score	Against	Venue	Year
120	vs West Indies	Bridgetown	1997
147	vs New Zealand	Wankhede	2024
176	vs Sri Lanka	Galle	2015
194	vs England	Edgbaston	2018

 

Lowest target successfully defended by New Zealand
Score	Against	Venue	Year
137	vs England	Wellington	1978
147	vs India	Wankhede	2024
176	vs Pakistan	Abu Dhabi	2018
241	vs Australia	Hobart	2011
246	vs England	The Oval	1999

 

The last time India lost by a clean sweep at home was against South Africa in 2000. The Proteas had secured a 2-0 win at that time, winning their first Test at Wankhede itself by chasing down 164 in the 2nd innings.  India struggling against spin in recent years 

Demanding a rank turner in Mumbai, Team India failed to make a mark at Wankhede, losing wickets to spinners under pressure. India's recent displays haven’t been as impressive compared to past performances, with the stats showing a clear decline over the years.

 

India against spin since 2010
Year	Inns	Outs	Avg. runs/wkts	Balls/wkt
2010-2019	176	586	43.8	74.3
2020 onwards	68	296	34.1	58.6

 

Skipper Rohit Sharma fails to continue winning run

 

Rohit Sharma failed to extend India's dominance in home Tests, which also affected their World Test Championship final hopes.

 

Rohit also struggled with the bat, unable to provide a platform for India to build their innings in the series. 

Rohit Sharma captaincy record in Tests
Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	NR	Win%
20	12	6	0	2	0	60

 

Although he holds a win rate of over 50 per cent as Test captain, he failed to impress in this series, with New Zealand consistently putting India under pressure at critical moments.

 

Gautam Gambhir's shaky start as head coach

 

Former India cricketer and new head coach Gautam Gambhir has not had the best start to his coaching career with the national side. Becoming the coach under whom India’s long-standing winning streak in home Tests was broken would not have been an ideal beginning.

 

Gambhir will be looking forward to the final stretch of the World Test Championship, which includes a daunting 5-match Test series down under.