India vs New Zealand | New Zealand tour of India, 2024 | 3rd Test

Right then, that is it from this Test and this series as well. New Zealand clean sweeps India with some excellent performances in all three games. The trophy has been handed over to the Kiwi skipper, Tom Latham who joins his teammates and lifts it together, and poses for some pictures. The hosts do not have much time to think about this as they have a 4-match T20I series coming up against South Africa. The first game will be played on 8th November. New Zealand takes on Sri Lanka in the shortest format as well in a 2-game series with the first one scheduled for 9th November. As far as the WTC is concerned, India's next stop is Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting from 22nd November while New Zealand will be hosting England in a three-match series. The first Test will be played on 28th November. But as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to every game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Tom Latham, the victorious skipper of New Zealand says that he is very ecstatic about this series win. Adds that the boys have done a very good job, and they were challenged with the bat and ball, but they overcame it. Tells that the seamers did the job in Bangalore and different players stepped up at different times for them. Mentions that in the last game, it was Santner and this time it was Ajaz Patel. Says that they wanted to come here and be aggressive with the bat and proactive with the ball. Further adds that they did not play that badly in Sri Lanka, but here they fell on the right side of the toss and adapted to the conditions brilliantly. Ends by saying that the girls winning the T20 World Cup was special, but this series win is also a very memorable one for them.

Will Young is the PLAYER OF THE SERIES for his consistent run with the bat in such tough batting conditions. Young says it is a massive win and is very proud of the boys. Says he just tries to keep it simple and trusts his defense a lot. On being asked about what he has achieved, he says it is about coming here and creating happy memories with the boys.

Ajaz Patel is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his incredible 11/160 in this game. He says that he might have to carry a little piece of this ground everywhere he goes. Adds that spin bowling is all about rhythm, and he did not find that in Pune but here he felt much more in control. Mentions that he was confident in the morning session on Day 2 but the pitch did not offer much. However, after Lunch, it started to turn more and he felt more confident using his shape guile. Says that Rishabh Pant put a lot of pressure on them, and he had to think out of the box to do something different against him.

Rohit Sharma, the captain of India is up for a chat. He says it is a bitter pill to swallow. Says losing a series at home is not digestible. Accepts that they didn't play their best cricket and that New Zealand totally outplayed them. Adds that they didn't put enough runs in the first innings in the first two Tests and were always behind the game. Tells that in this game, they had the lead but failed to capitalize on that. Adds that while chasing, it is important to build partnerships, which they considerably failed. Mentions they wanted to apply themselves in the game well but that didn't go as planned. Further adds that there are certain areas he focuses on when he goes out to bat, but it didn't come off this series. About the positives, Rohit says that Pant, Gill, and Sundar have shown how to bat on these kinds of surfaces and that you have to be proactive and be aware of what to do. Says this was an unfortunate series and admits that even as a captain, he wasn't at his best to lead the side. Ends by saying that they collectively failed as a unit.

Presentation Time...

Daryl Mitchell is up for a quick chat. He says it feels really special to win the Test match on such a historic ground and more special to clean sweep the world-class Indian side. On the surface, he mentions that they knew that it was turning a lot so they wanted to put pressure on the bowlers States they aimed to survive as long as they could and wanted to land the ball in the right areas and wait for their chances. Says they are just a bunch of Kiwis ready to take on the world.

Akash Deep struck early with Tom Latham’s wicket, but Devon Conway and Will Young battled hard to narrow the gap to 2 by Tea. Sensing survival alone wouldn’t be enough, the Kiwis batted aggressively in the final session, but the Indian spinners kept striking back. Ravichandran Ashwin’s brilliant catch to dismiss Daryl Mitchell turned the tide, and though Will Young’s fifty and Glenn Phillips’ cameo pushed the lead past 100, Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s combined seven wickets left New Zealand at 171/9, setting up an intense finale.

India started Day 2 with an aggressive intent, as Rishabh Pant took 12 runs off the first over, setting an electric tone. Pant and Shubman Gill both reached fifties, pushing the Kiwis onto the back foot as they scrambled to contain runs. New Zealand got a lucky break before Lunch when Ish Sodhi ended a promising 96-run stand. The second session saw a Kiwi comeback, with Ajaz Patel’s impressive five-for limiting India to a slim 28-run lead.

Will Young, continuing his rich vein of form, displayed exceptional temperament in crafting a well-made 71, while Daryl Mitchell emerged as the innings' top-scorer with a determined 82. However, the spin duo of Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja proved too hot to handle on the responsive surface. Their exceptional bowling performance cut short New Zealand's aspirations of batting through the first day, restricting them to a modest total of 235. When India came out to bat, they had a huge opportunity to go past New Zealand's total, but there came a twist. More than a twist, a streak of unwanted shots, and a hasty run-out that reduced India to 86/4 at the end of the first day.