Controversy erupted on the third day of the final test match between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede. India were tasked with chasing down 147 to save themselves from a rare embarrassing series sweep. The chips were down and India immediately found itself in trouble waters when they were reduced to 29-5 inside 10 overs. 

But Rishab Pant was the only Indian batter to throw the punches back at the New Zealand bowlers. The flamboyant wicket-keeper batter was in the mood to attack right from the word go and was more than ready to use his feet and deploy a wide range of sweeps against the spinning ball.

As all the batters failed to apply themselves on a tricky Wankhede pitch, Pant seemed far more resolute than the others and scored at an alarmingly high strike rate of over 100 to keep India in the run chase. But the moment he was removed by Ajaz Patel during the 22nd over, India’s hopes of winning the match quickly dissipated and the home side agonizingly fell short by 25 runs.  

Here is how the drama around his dismissal unfolded 

Pant resumed the second session after lunch on a very assuring note for India. He was going great guns and was batting beautifully on 64. Pant was riding his luck thus far and India were well on course for a consolation win. But the 27-year-old soon ran out of luck when Ajaz came on to bowl the 22nd over of the run chase.

After smacking Ajaz for a few boundaries in that over, Pant decided to use his feet during the fourth ball of the over. It was a generously tossed-up delivery that turned fractionally after pitching. Pant steps out of his crease to make contact with the ball but the ball balloons up in the air after hitting the pads and Blundell pouches it at short leg. At first glance, it appeared that Pant had not made any contact with the ball.

Desperate to turn the tide in their favor, Latham decided to go for the review. The replay revealed a notable spike on the UltraEdge when the bat made contact with Pant's pad; however, a similar spike was observed when the ball approached the bat. But after the ball had passed the inside edge of his bat, an obvious delection was seen before the ball made contact with his pad. At that very moment, Pant immidiately approached the umpires and indicated to them that there was no bat involvement. The on-field umpires were in no mood to buy into his explanation and when the decisive moment came, umpire Illingworth reversed his "not out" decision to "out" as per the recommendation from the TV umpire. Pant stood his ground helplessly at first but reluctantly began walking towards the dressing room.

The decision came under severe criticism by the fans and the leading cricket experts. After the game, Rohit Sharma expressed solidarity with Pant and believed that the TV umpire made a glaring error in giving Pant out. In addition, retired South African batting star Ab de Villiers also came in support of Pant and questioned the TV umpire's  controversial out decision.

An absolute horror show ensued at the Wakhede Stadium on Sunday as New Zealand did the unthinkable by thrashing India 3-0 at home. Coming fresh from a brutal 0-2 hammering against an above-average Lankan side, very few optimistic cricket fans expected New Zealand to even win a Test match let alone achieve a monumental clean sweep. 

But Latham and his men have conquered the Indian fortress and by doing so have proven to the world that India are not really invincible at home. The spin combo of Ajaz and Phillips wrapped up the proceedings on day three as the duo’s combined figures of 9-99 to drive New Zealand to a historic 3-0 whitewash. Ajaz in particular, had a devastating impact on the Indian batters and picked up 11 wickets in the match to dismantle India left, right, and center in both innings. 

A look at some of the long list of unwanted records for India

If you're an Indian fan then you would surely want to look away from the list of unwanted records that India have managed to register in this forgettable three-match Test series. 

• This is the first time India has been whitewashed in a three or more Test series at home.
• It is also their first-ever Test series whitewash since the year 2000. The last time a whitewash occurred was in a two-match Test series against South Africa
• New Zealand became the first-ever team to whitewash India 3-0 on Indian soil.
• This is India's first-ever Test series defeat at home since 2012. Prior to New Zealand, England were the last team who managed to achieve this remarkable feat.
• New Zealand managed to secure their first test win against India at home since the year 1988. 
• India's paltry 46-10 at Bengaluru is the lowest score ever scored by team India in a home Test.  

The shocking Test series defeat has further aggravated India's aspirations of securing a WTC Final spot. Following the 0-3 whitewash, India now has lost its spot at the top of the tree and slipped to the second position in the points table thus paving the way for Australia at the top who have an impressive PCT of 62.5. New Zealand too have made some rapid gains and have surged to the fourth position in the points table. The 2021 WTC Champions are very much in contention for a berth in the ongoing WTC Final. India face the arduous task of winning four out of five matches in the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy, which by no means will be a walk in the park for the wounded Indian side.

Ajaz Patel once again starred for New Zealand in the third and final Test of the three-match series by claiming superb figures of 5-103 to restrict India to 263. The 36-year-old got to the milestone by removing Ashwin on the last ball of the 58th over when he had him caught by Daryl Mitchell in the first slip. 

Ajaz has a special bond with the city of Mumbai. Known to be his birthplace, Ajaz had previously performed well at the Wankhede. The left-arm spinner recorded his career-best 10-wicket haul in the second match of the 2021 Test series against India where he claimed all 10 wickets to equal Anil Kumble & Jim Laker’s record. Unfortunately, New Zealand went on to lose that Test match by a whopping 372 runs.

A short summary of his performance in the ongoing third Test

This is Ajaz Patel’s sixth five-wicket haul in Test cricket. All six of them have come on Asian soil including two apiece in India & Sri Lanka and one each in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The crafty left-arm spinner enjoys bowling in the Indian subcontinent and thrives in these helpful conditions. India has been a happy hunting ground for him since as many as 26 out of 79 Test wickets in Asia have registered on Indian soil. Surprisingly, the Mumbai-born spinner has never picked up a wicket on his home turf in New Zealand. 

See Also: Pant and Gill hit fifties to drive India forward in Mumbai

Speaking of his performance in the third Test, Ajaz managed to pick up five wickets at the expense of 103 runs while going at a little over 4.5 RPO. Jaiswal, Siraj, Gill, Sarfaraz, and Ashwin were among his five victims. In his nearly 22 overs long spell, the 34-year-old bowled three maidens and got the ball to bite off the surface on regular occasions. His double-wicket over late in the day on day one swung the momentum of the game dramatically in favor of the visitors.  

At the time of writing, the game was nicely set up for the two sides as, despite Ajaz’s heroics with the ball, India were able to eke out a crucial lead of 28 runs.

India Women won the home WODI series against New Zealand Women after the home batters dominantly chased the 233-run target in the third WODI. While most of the Indian batters performed well, opener and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana recorded the highest WODI centuries by an India Women's batter. 

New Zealand Women scored 232 runs after winning the toss. In reply, India Women comfortably chased the target in 45.2 overs after losing four wickets. India Women won the three-match WODI series by 2-1. 

New Zealand Women had a weak start

New Zealand Women were struggling at 36/3 as Suzie Bates (4), Lauren Down (1), and captain Sophie Devine (9) lost their wickets in the single-digit scores. Although Georgia Plimmer and Brooke Halliday set a 30-run partnership for the fourth wicket to stabilise the innings, Plimmer was out on 39 off 67 balls with six fours. 

Brooke Halliday was the star in the first innings

While the middle-order batters were battling, Brooke Halliday was batting strongly on the other end. After completing her half-century in 72 balls, she batted aggressively to move the scoreboard faster. Her 86 off 96 balls guided New Zealand Women to set a challenging target for the hosts. Isabella Gaze (25) and Lea Tahuhu (24 not out off 14) also had some useful cameos. 

Deepti Sharma took three wickets

Among the Indian bowlers, Deepti Sharma (3/39) took three wickets and Priya Mishra (2/41) bagged two wickets. Also, Renuka Singh (1/49) and Saima Thakor (1/44) picked up one wicket each. 

Smriti Mandhana and Yastika Bhatia controlled the starting period

In reply, India Women lost the opener Shafali Verma very early, as she was dismissed after scoring 12 on 11 balls. However, another opener Smriti Mandhana finally found her form, while Yastika Bhatia provided solid support from the other end. Mandhana and Bhatia had a crucial 76-run partnership for the second wicket, which put the game in the hosts' favour.

Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur set a solid partnership

After the skipper Sophie Devine dismissed Bhatia for 35 runs, India Women dominated with Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur's third wicket partnership. The visitors failed to control the run flow as the hosts were comfortably chasing the target.

Mandhana and Kaur had a 117-run partnership for the third wicket. After completing her 50 runs in 73 balls, Mandhana completed her eighth WODI century in 121 balls. On the other hand, Kaur completed her half-century in 54 balls. 

Mandhana was dismissed after scoring 100 off 122 balls with 10 fours. Jemimah Rodrigues was in a hurry in the chasing as she scored 22 off 18 balls before losing her wicket on the scores level. Kaur ultimately finished the game with a fantastic four as she was not out on 59 runs off 63 balls with six fours. 

Mandhana broke Mithali Raj's record and reached the world record

By surpassing Mithali Raj's seventh WODI century, Mandhana set a new record for the most WODI centuries by an Indian cricketer with eight centuries. 

It was Mandhana's third WODI century at home, and she scored all these centuries in 2024. While she is the first Indian to score three WODI centuries in a calendar year, she also holds the joint record for most WODI centuries in a calendar year. Mandhana became the eighth player to record three WODI centuries in a calendar year. 

Indian off-spinner Washington Sundar picks up his career-best figures of 7-59 to bundle out New Zealand on 259 on Day 1 of the 2nd Test. He made his comeback into the test side after 3 years and bowled a best spell for the hosts. His first wicket was the in-form NZ All-Rounder Rachin Ravindra who was the Player of the Match in 1st Test as well. Sundar bowling around the wicket drifted on off and the ball turned sharply.

Sundar then picked up the wicket of NZ wicketkeeper Tom Blundell and restricted visitors to 201-5 at the Tea. After Tea, he cleaned up Daryl Mitchell with a LBW claiming his 3rd scalp. Tim Southee, who scored 65(73) in the First Test, scored only 5(8) today and was the 5th scalp for Sundar today. Sundar later picked up wickets of Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner and claimed his career-best figures of 7 for 59 in 23.1 overs. Washington Sundar's Test Bowling average before the Pune test was 49.83 and now after claiming 7/59 his bowling average is 27.53.

India's Star Pacer Jasprit Bumrah's workload management has been the most trending topic as he has been crucial for Team India in all three formats.

Bumrah has been known for his unique bowling action and ability to bowl yorkers but he has to deal with some injury issues as well. Those back issues made him miss some key series and tournaments in 2022 and 2023.

To ensure Bumrah's workload management, India's Cricket management and the Board Of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have adopted a more careful approach, regarding his participation in matches across the format.

Head Coach Gautam Gambhir on Bumrah's workload management

Head Coach Gambhir addressed a press conference in Pune on Wednesday and said that the team will decide on Bumrah's workload after the second Test against New Zealand. India will decide on resting Star Pacer after the second test after he has played all three tests at home so far and Australia Tour which is less than a month away.

Gambhir further added, "Once the series is over, we still have around 10 to 12 days before the First Test starts in Australia. He believes it is enough break for the fast bowlers but still, they will see where Jasprit Bumrah stands after this Test."

"It is not only about Bumrah but other fast bowlers as well. We want to keep all of them as fresh as it is a long and important Australia tour. Workload Management depends on this Test and how much they have bowled in this Test."

Jasprit Bumrah's comeback during Asia Cup 2023 and World Cup 2023 participation showed that workload management and injury prevention have been prioritized to ensure his availability for key matches and reduce injury risks.

New Zealand's Ajaz Patel provided the breakthrough by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal and then claimed a big wicket in the form of India skipper Rohit Sharma. Rohit, after scoring a much-needed half-century, was bowled by Patel in a moment that has since gone viral. The dismissal came during Day 3 of the first Test between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru, as India chases a steep New Zealand lead of 356 runs.

Ajaz Patel breaks India’s opening partnership- Dismisses Rohit Sharma

New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel gave his team their first breakthrough of the innings by removing Yashasvi Jaiswal for 35. After Jaiswal’s dismissal, India’s captain Rohit Sharma was joined by Virat Kohli at the crease as India aimed for a strong partnership in response to New Zealand’s massive total of 402. Rachin Ravindra played a key role in propelling New Zealand's score, hammering a brilliant 134 runs, while Devon Conway added 91. Tim Southee also contributed a useful 65 runs lower down the order. India’s bowlers did their best, with Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja taking three wickets each, while Siraj, Bumrah, and Ashwin chipped in with key wickets.

India, having been bundled out for just 46 in their first innings, faced a monumental task. As New Zealand piled on the runs, the hosts desperately needed a strong batting response from their top order.

See Also: Sammy calls 'Moral Victory' in West Indies' series loss to Sri Lanka

Rohit Sharma’s viral Dismissal after a gritty fifty  | Watch His Unlucky Dismissal

Just when India started showing signs of recovery, captain Rohit Sharma hit a much-needed half-century. The opener had struggled with form in recent matches, but finally redeemed himself by smashing a powerful fifty, including a boundary off Matt Henry that brought up the milestone in 59 balls. His fans were elated, and hopes for an Indian comeback were high.

Rohit Sharma Dismissal 🥹💔#INDvNZ #RohitSharma𓃵 #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/C2RLoLnu0R

— Ravi 🧡🧡 (@ravi95094) October 18, 2024

Rohit Sharma played a brilliant half-century in the second innings against New Zealand.

Was a bit unlucky and the way he got out was sad. This match is taking place in Chennaswamy, Bangalore.#TestAtHome #INDvNZ #RohitSharma𓃵 pic.twitter.com/WgQ2dFeML4

— Vishal Pandey (@Vishal_aawaj) October 18, 2024

However, Rohit’s joy was short-lived as Ajaz Patel struck again, dismissing him shortly after his half-century. In a disappointing moment for both Rohit and India, the skipper was bowled by a length delivery from Patel that straightened just enough to hit the stumps. Rohit, who thought he had played a solid forward defense, stood in disbelief as the ball rolled off his bat’s inner edge onto the stumps. His reaction of disappointment was captured on camera and quickly went viral across social media platforms, leaving fans heartbroken. Patel’s second breakthrough left India two wickets down, with New Zealand firmly in control.

With Virat Kohli at the crease, India will now be looking for a resilient partnership to fight back from their position of vulnerability, but New Zealand remains in command of the match as they hold a 356-run lead.

The New Zealand Pacer, Ben Sears has been ruled out of the India test series due to a knee injury. Pacer Jacob Duffy, who is uncapped in Tests has been named as Sears' replacement and will fly to India on Wednesday morning.

Ben Sears experienced pain in his left knee while training during the recent Test series in Sri Lanka and underwent scans in New Zealand last week. According to a New Zealand Cricket Statement, "His departure to India was delayed after scans revealed a tear to his meniscus and the first available medical consultation was sought in the hope that he might have been cleared."

See Also:- “It’s something different about playing a Test match" - Rachin Ravindra

However, following the medical advice, the decision was made to rule him out of the series. A plan on the best course of treatment and rehabilitation for the injury will be advised in due course.

Jacob Duffy who is Otago's leading wicket-taker has featured in 6 ODIs and 14 T20Is for New Zealand. He currently has 299 first-class wickets to his name.

Head Coach Gary Stead on Ben Sears

“We’re obviously disappointed for Ben who made a strong start to his Test career during the home summer and offers a genuine pace option,” said Stead. “It remains to be seen how long we’ll be without him for, but we’re hopeful his road to a full recovery will be a short one."

See Also:- Rohit Sharma gives big update on Shami's fitness

Gary Stead on Jacob Duffy said, "It’s an exciting opportunity for Jacob who has been around Test the squad before. With three Tests ahead of us he has every chance of making his Test debut. Jacob's recent experience playing for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship certainly pushed his place. His performances in white-ball cricket for the BLACKCAPS have always been impressive and we’re confident he'll be able to contribute if called upon.”

Rain Threat Over Bangalore Test

New Zealand will begin their India Tour with the first test being played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru starting on 16 October. But the weather threatens the rain playing spoilsport during the first test. As the whole week's weather forecast isn't looking good. India's morning training session was washed out. New Zealand completed their training session in the indoor facility of Chinnaswamy premises. The second test will be played in Pune from 24 October and the Final test in Mumbai starting on 1 November on the eve of Diwali.

India Women started the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 with a massive 58-run defeat against New Zealand Women in the Group A contest at Dubai. 

After winning the toss, New Zealand Women scored 160/4 in 20 overs. In reply, India Women were all out for only 102 runs in 19 overs. 

New Zealand openers provided a strong start

New Zealand Women’s openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer provided a strong start with a 67-run partnership in 46 balls. Starting the innings with a four, both the openers enjoyed the powerplay, especially Plimmer who hit three fours and one six in the powerplay. 

Dismissed both the openers in four balls

After Arundhati Reddy dismissed Bates (27), Asha Sobhana took the wicket of Plimmer (34). 

Amelia Kerr was dismissed after her controversial run-out denied

The Indian cricket team wasn’t happy after Amelia Kerr’s run out was denied on the last ball of the 14th over due to a dead ball. However, Kerr couldn’t use that luck as Renuka Singh sent her back to the pavilion two balls later.

SEE ALSO: Ashwin raises important question after controversial run-out

The captain played game-changing innings

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine played a game-changing knock after settling down in the crease. Her presence always helped the White Ferns maintain a good run rate. Her 57 not out off 36 balls (seven fours) guided New Zealand Women to 160/4. 

Among the Indian bowlers, Ranuka Singh (2/27) took two wickets.

India lost three wickets in the powerplay

India’s match fate was majorly decided in the powerplay when they lost three wickets. Openers Shafali Verma (2) and Smriti Mandhana (12) and the skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (15) were in the pavilion before the end of the powerplay. India ended the powerplay at 43/3. 

Mair and Tahuhu were the stars with the ball

All the New Zealand bowlers performed strongly to deny any comeback of the Indian team in the second innings. However, Rosemary Mair and Lea Tahuhu were exceptional. Mair took four wickets for 19 runs in her four overs, while Tahuhu took three wickets for 15 runs in four overs.

In the gripping clash between India and New Zealand on July 10, 2019, during the World Cup semifinal, Martin Guptill’s dramatic run-out of MS Dhoni marked the pinnacle of the match, bringing an end to the illustrious career of the Indian cricket icon. Although Guptill has moved forward, the memory still lingers, accompanied by a barrage of disdainful messages from passionate Indian fans.

Renowned for his white-ball cricket prowess in New Zealand, Guptill has become a lasting figure in India as the player who dashed the hopes of a billion Indians, attributing the crucial moment to sheer chance. Speaking during the 2023 Legends League Cricket in Dehradun, representing the Urbanisers Hyderabad squad, he shared his perspective on the pivotal moment. Acknowledging the improbable precision of his throw with only one and a half stumps visible, he modestly labeled it a stroke of luck.

Guptill’s Precision Run-out and the Fateful Moment That Altered India’s World Cup Destiny

“It happened so quickly in the moment. All I remember was seeing the ball go up, and then I thought, oh no, it’s coming more towards me. So, I put the skates on to get on with that run. I knew there was no chance of a throw at the stumps, but I just tried to have a shot and only had one and a half stumps to aim at, and I just got lucky. The stars aligned, and it was a perfect throw. In other words, the whole of India doesn’t like me. I get plenty of hate mails from there,” said Guptill, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

The run-out proved to be the turning point that dashed India’s hopes of winning the World Cup. In the semifinal, after setbacks losing Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya, Dhoni partnered with Ravindra Jadeja, fostering hope in India’s chase of 240 against New Zealand. Their cautious approach led to a resilient 116-run stand for the seventh wicket across 17.2 overs. However, Jadeja fell victim to Trent Boult’s deceptive slower delivery, leaving Dhoni as the last bastion in the tense battle.

See Also:IPL 2024 Punjab Kings: Retained & Released Players, Remaining Purse, and Complete Team Overview

Facing a sharp bouncer from Lockie Ferguson, the seasoned Ranchi batter’s response fell slightly delayed, edging the ball behind square. In a daring move, he risked a second run as no fielder guarded that spot. Guptill, stationed at fine leg, sprinted in, deftly retrieved the ball, and executed a precise strike at the stumps. Dhoni’s dive fell inches short of the crease as the ball dislodged the bails, sealing his dismissal and India’s hopes.