New Zealand pulled off one of the most staggering series victories in Test history by completing an unprecedented whitewash of India.
New Zealand won the third Test in Mumbai by 25 runs, defending a target of just 147 thanks to the spinners Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips, who shared nine second-innings wickets. It was an amazing win in that, despite winning the toss and batting first, they conceded a first-innings deficit in conditions that suited India’s spinners.
India had not lost a series on home soil since 2012, when England beat them 2-1 in a four-Test series. India had won their previous 18 Test series at home, comfortably the longest such streak in history, losing just four of their 53 matches in India in that period. This was the first time they had been whitewashed at home in a series of three or more matches.
This was also the first time New Zealand had won three matches in any Test series – they often play shorter series.
Their former seamer Mitchell McClenaghan called it “arguably their best series win of all time”. There was little to argue about it.
India’s failed chase was also statistically relevant. It was the second-lowest target New Zealand had ever successfully defended, and the second-lowest target India had failed to chase in a defeat. While Rishabh Pant (who made 64 from 57 balls while no other batsman reached 13) was at the crease, victory looked possible for India, but he fell to a controversial bat-pad dismissal on DRS, and India crumbled. Their last three wickets went down in four balls, without a run added.
New Zealand’s series win was all the more extraordinary given they were recently well beaten in Sri Lanka, and the three victories came on such contrasting pitches.
The first, in Bangalore, favoured their seamers, who blasted India out for just 46 on the opening day of the series, before the pitches in Pune and Mumbai turned sharply. Up stepped New Zealand’s spinners, with Mitchell Santner picking up 13 wickets in the second Test. He was then ruled out of the third Test with a side strain, but Patel stepped up and took 11 wickets. It was a genuine squad effort.
“It’s something you dream of, and to come over here and actually achieve it, it’s pretty special against a world-class Indian team,” the batsman Daryl Mitchell said. “We’re just a bunch of Kiwis taking on the world, and very proud to represent our country. We know how good India are – they’ve got a number of world-class players – and for us, it’s just [about] hanging in there, keep doing what Kiwis do, and yeah, very proud of this group today.”
Both teams remain well in the running for the final of the World Test Championship at Lord’s next June. India’s series away to Australia and New Zealand’s at home to England later this month, will go a long way to determining who makes the final. Sri Lanka, South Africa and Australia also remain in contention.
