Brave New Zealand completes historic sweep of India

:New Zealand ended a tough tour of Asia with an unprecedented 3-0 series win in India, while a battered and battered home team will face awkward questions ahead of its trip to Australia for five Tests.

The Black Caps spinners ran riot on a tricky Mumbai wicket, bowling out India for 121 in the second innings and securing a famous 25-run victory on day three of the third and final Test on Sunday.

The last time India lost at home was in 2000 in a two-match series against South Africa and Rohit Sharma’s side were thoroughly outplayed by the tourists in varying conditions.

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

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

“Just the ability to adapt to each pitch… Different guys stepped up at different times. That’s the beauty of team sport. It was a great team effort in every way. I’m proud of the guys.”

India have dropped to second behind Australia in the World Test Championship table and will need a big effort to reach a third straight final next year.

Rishabh Pant was the only Indian batsman to offer resistance, making a superb 64 after the hosts were reduced to 29-5 on the Wankhede Stadium turning pitch.

Man of the match, Mumbai-born 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 once again record a low series total. . .

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

“This is what you dream about. To come here and actually achieve this is something special against a world class Indian team.”

“We’re just a bunch of New Zealanders taking on the world.”

The tourists shocked India with their pace and won the opening match in Bangalore by eight wickets, their first Test win in India in 36 years, and clinched the series a few days later on a turning wicket in Pune with a 113-run victory.

CONFIDENCE IS DECEASED

In Mumbai, New Zealand kept their cool in oppressive heat and humidity to thrash India, leaving the hosts’ confidence dented ahead of their meeting with Australia on November 22.

New Zealand’s first triumph in India in 1955 also ended a run of 18 consecutive home wins since a 2-1 defeat to England in 2012.

Rohit struck first, coming out of his crease to hit Matt Henry for a four in the first over, but the captain’s disappointing recent form continued as he fell for 11 after a rash hit to the same bowler.

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

Patel took two wickets in two overs when Shubman Gill, who had scored a superb 90 in the first innings, left a ball that crashed into the stumps and bounced for one.

The out-of-form Virat Kohli didn’t last long after reaching the crease when he got ahead of Patel and slipped on one.

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

Ravindra Jadeja steadied the ship along with Pant in a 42-run stand but a stunning catch by Will Young meant India were on the brink at 71-6.

Patel dismissed Pant after reviewing New Zealand after lunch, although the batsman appeared to suggest he had not made contact with the ball before it was caught.

After that the runs dried up and India collapsed with Washington Sundar last out hoping for success.

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

“We made a lot of mistakes, we accept that… As a captain, I was not at my best while leading the team and also with the bat.”

New Zealand resumed their second innings at 171-9 earlier but India needed just 14 balls to eliminate the Black Caps as Jadeja caught Patel in the deep to finish with 5-55 after scoring five balls in the first stanza .