India whitewashed in Test series for first time in 24 years

The Blackcaps aka New Zealand (NZ) etched their name in memoirs of history on Sunday, October 3, as they became the first team to complete a whitewash over Team India (IND) in their backyard for the first time after 24 long years. Notably, in the final and third Test of the series in Mumbai, the hosts failed to chase down a target of 147 runs in their fourth innings.

As a result, the Kiwis sealed the game and the series for a historic 3-0 win. New Zealand scripted history on Sunday, as India suffered their first whitewash at home in 24 years as the visitors clinched the Test series 3-0. The game turned out to be a close one initially. The valiant batting efforts (64 off 57 balls) of the explosive India wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant, went in vain which kept the hosts in the pursuit of the target.

Barring Pant, only Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar showed some resistance against New Zealand bowlers. While the rest of the team continued their rough patch with the bat. As a result, India were defeated by 25 runs by the dark horses in the final Test of the series.

Speaking of some notable performances from the visitors, Ajaz Patel, who made life tough for the batters in the first innings, turned out to be the hero at his ‘favourite’ ground, Wankhede. He spun the web around the Indian batters leaving them completely bamboozled. Notably, the Rohit Sharma-led side were apparently seen practicing against left-arm spinners in a bid to tackle and bat better against them. However, the story didn’t change much and Patel took a six-wicket (6/57) haul to demolish the Indian batting lineup just after lunch on Day 3 for a paltry 121 runs.

When was the last time India were whitewashed by an opposition in their den?

Now the interesting question which arises is when was the last time Team India had to go through the wrath of getting whitewashed by an opposition in their den? Well, the last opposition to script history was South Africa. Notably, under the legendary leadership of the Late Hansie Cronje, the Proteas defeated India in the year 2000.

In that series, the first Test was played at Wankhede where the Cronje-led side trumped the Indian side by 4 wickets. Thereafter, in the-then Bangalore, they were a notch up and decimated the hosts by winning the final Test of the two-match Test series by an emphatic margin of an innings and 71 runs.

New Zealand's series win is a first in 90 years Test history of India

However, in the case of the Tom Latham-led side, given that it was a series of more than two games, the feat achieved is even more gigantic. Commendably, this is the first time in the last 90 years that Team India have lost a three-game series by 3-0 at home. Moreover, the only other series defeat which India bared was in the year 2012. England aka the Three Lions produced some special effort, which meant that the hosts were inflicted with a series defeat.

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Although, India managed to win one game out of three games which were played in a four-match Test series. Hence, the visitors in this instance, were unable to complete a series whitewash. As a result of the clean sweep against New Zealand, the road to the World Test Championship (WTC 2023-25) battle has got even tougher and quite tricky. Notably, India will now head to Australia, to play a five-match Test series down under.

But given that having lost three games at home in tandem, the chances of making it to the summit clash have become bleaker. Now the only way to ensure their WTC final berth, India will now have to win the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia in their backyard, at all costs.