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New Zealand Achieves Historic 3-0 Series Sweep Against India in Thrilling Third Test

  • 03 Nov 2024 03:59 AM
  • Test cricket, New Zealand, India, sports news

The third Test between India and New Zealand concluded with a dramatic twist, as the Kiwis secured a historic first-ever series sweep in the Indian subcontinent, defeating India 3-0. The match appeared to be in India's favor while Rishabh Pant was batting, but his controversial dismissal triggered a collapse of the Indian batting order.

With this victory, New Zealand became the first team in history to whitewash India in a three-match Test series on Indian soil. This milestone adds them to a select group of teams that have previously achieved series whitewashes against India in matches of three or more Tests, including England, Australia, and West Indies.

The match was particularly significant for New Zealand, marking their first instance of winning three Tests in a series, whether at home or away. They also made history by winning their first three Tests of a series away from home.

In the first innings, India posted a total of 263 runs after bowling out New Zealand for 235. India's spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin excelled in the second innings, taking eight wickets and restricting the Blackcaps to just 174 runs.

However, the Indian chase quickly became challenging. The team faltered, losing five wickets for a mere 29 runs, with key players like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Sarfaraz Khan contributing little to the score. Rishabh Pant was the standout performer, scoring 64 runs off 57 balls before a contentious dismissal led to a swift decline in momentum. As Ashwin and Washington Sundar attempted to build a partnership, they faced tough resistance from New Zealand bowlers Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips.

This remarkable series will be remembered for its intensity and the unprecedented success of New Zealand in a cricketing landscape that often favors the home side.