Rohit Sharma registered an unwelcome record on Sunday as he became the first Indian captain to suffer a 0-3 Test series defeat on home soil.
New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips led a spin attack that clinched a 25-run victory in the third Test, marking the first time a visiting team has whitewashed India in a series of three or more matches.
The series began unfavorably for India, who fell to an eight-wicket defeat against New Zealand in Bengaluru. In the second Test in Pune, Rohit’s men attempted a comeback but ultimately lost by 113 runs, setting up the Kiwis’ series-clinching win in Mumbai.
Despite the efforts of Rishabh Pant, who scored a fighting 64 off 57 balls in India’s second innings, India was bowled out for 121 while chasing a target of 147. Ajaz Patel’s six-wicket haul (6-57) and Phillips’ three wickets (3-42) were instrumental in New Zealand’s success.
In their first innings, India managed a 28-run lead thanks to Shubman Gill’s 90 and Washington Sundar’s late 38*. New Zealand, led by Will Young’s 71 and Daryl Mitchell’s 82, reached 235 in their opening innings, aided by an 87-run partnership.
Rohit’s series performance reflected India’s struggles, as he scored just 91 runs at a 68.42 strike rate across all three matches. With this series loss, Rohit has now led India in 21 Tests, winning 12 and losing seven.
New Zealand’s victory, led by captain Tom Latham, marks a significant milestone in Test cricket, as the first team to win a series 3-0 in India.