New Zealand: New Zealand did the unthinkable. Defeating India in a Test series in their own backyard. A feeling that looked arduous with greatest Test sides, including the World No.1 ranked, not able to decode the mantra to deceive the home side on the apprehensive rank-turners. But Tom Latham and his men actually made this dream come true on Saturday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
Not even in the weirdest possibilities one must have predicted the Black Caps to win a Test match in India, let alone a series after they were humiliated by Sri Lanka 2-0 in the island nation. Kane Williamson’s unavailability to participate in the first couple of matches only strengthened India as tenable winners.
A win in Bengaluru by eight wickets ended New Zealand’s drought of not being able to win a Test match in India for 36 years. In the most astonishing scenarios, they dispelled the notion that opposition struggle on rank-turner pitches when they put their foot in Pune for the second Test. The match was wrapped within three days with Indians falling in the trap of their own ploy.
Significant dates ✍🏼
The team’s first EVER Test series victory in India. Scorecard | https://t.co/KgzR4y6Spp #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/dvtZ710b0X
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 26, 2024
New Zealand ended India’s reign at home of winning 18 Test series since 2013. The last time they lost a home series was against England when Sir Alastair Cook’s men clinched the four-match Test series by a 2-1 margin. Here we look on where India missed the trick or panicked to go down to the unfancied New Zealand.
Winning toss and opting to bat first in overcast conditions
India won the toss and decided to bat first in the first Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in the overcast conditions. This was after the entire Day 1 of the match was washed out due to heavy rain showers. New Zealand pacers Matt Henry and William O’Rourke terrorised the batting order, leaving India in tatters with their lowest-ever Test score (46) on home soil.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma after the second day admitted that they got the call wrong. It was too late to ruminate over the shortcomings from the batters as New Zealand were leaps and bounds, psychologically, ahead in the game. India’s inefficacy to play against the new-ball was also exposed after Henry and R’Ourke returned to haunt them despite overturning a 356-run lead from the first innings.
Lacking attacking field placements
Rohit Sharma on numerous instances was questioned over his field placements when the team needed to pick wickets in succession to keep the opposition in control. The 137-run stand between Rachin Ravindra and Tim Southee for the eighth wicket was one of the classiest examples of how India failed to carry the momentum on the field.
The fielders being spread across to easily concede singles and doubles was the criticism Rohit faced when India failed to break that partnership. Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri, on Day 2 of the Pune Test, questioned Rohit’s tactics for not imposing aggressive field after New Zealand made 23 from four overs with openers providing a brilliant start to capitalise on the 103-run lead from the first innings. Shastri, during his on-air commentary stint, pointed out that the captain cannot go for wickets with spread out fields, when just one player in slip was present with Ashwin rolling his arms.
Senior batters fail to step up
India had a collective batting failure in the series thus far. Barring the second innings in Bengaluru, the batters have remained under fire. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s flamboyant knock to set the tone for the 359-run chase was exceptional. Rohit and Virat playing determined knocks powered by Pant and Sarfaraz’s gutsy efforts to push the Bengaluru Test till day five were also exceptional.
Jadeja also batted decently in the Pune Test with scores of 38 and 42. The likes of Rohit, Kohli and Pant didn’t wielded the willow when it mattered. All three batters accounted for a duck each with Rohit and Kohli mustering a slew of low scores.
Rohit made 62 runs in four innings and Kohli scored 88 in as many innings. Pant was comparatively better than the senior duo, amassing 137 runs in four innings. His run out with a poor calling between the wickets can be or not be a moot point, but India’s dependency to pace the innings only clears that they need more match-winners.
