New Zealand Makes History with First Test Series Win in India
India’s Skipper Rohit Sharma Reflects on the Loss
In a historic match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, New Zealand defeated India by 113 runs, marking their first-ever Test series win in India. This loss ended India’s 18-series home winning streak, which was the longest for any team.
Match Highlights
New Zealand, led by Tom Latham, won the toss and chose to bat. Key performances included Devon Conway’s 76 and Rachin Ravindra’s 65, setting a strong foundation. Ravichandran Ashwin and Washington Sundar were the standout bowlers for India, with Sundar taking 7 wickets for 59 runs.
India struggled in their batting, with Rohit Sharma dismissed for a duck. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal managed a 49-run partnership, but Mitchell Santner’s 7/53 dismantled the Indian lineup, leaving them at 156.
In the second innings, New Zealand capitalized on their lead, with Tom Latham scoring 86. India was set a target of 359 but fell short, bowled out for 245. Santner’s 13 wickets in the match were crucial to New Zealand’s victory.
Rohit Sharma’s Post-Match Comments
Rohit Sharma acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, particularly in batting, and emphasized the need for collective responsibility. He noted the importance of sticking to their plans and processes, as demonstrated by New Zealand.
Looking Ahead
With New Zealand leading the series 2-0, the final match is scheduled for November 1 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Rohit Sharma stated it’s too early to focus on the World Test Championship, as the team needs to address their current challenges.
Doubts Revealed
Test series -: A Test series is a set of cricket matches played between two teams. Each match can last up to five days, and the team that wins the most matches wins the series.
Pune -: Pune is a city in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is known for its educational institutions and cultural heritage.
18-series home winning streak -: This means that India had won 18 consecutive Test series played at home before losing to New Zealand. A streak is a series of consecutive wins.
Tom Latham -: Tom Latham is a cricketer from New Zealand. He is known for his skills as a batsman and sometimes leads the team as captain.
Devon Conway -: Devon Conway is a cricketer from New Zealand. He is known for his excellent batting performances.
Rachin Ravindra -: Rachin Ravindra is a young cricketer from New Zealand. He is an all-rounder, which means he can both bat and bowl.
Mitchell Santner -: Mitchell Santner is a cricketer from New Zealand. He is known for his bowling, especially in taking wickets, which means getting the batsmen out.
Rohit Sharma -: Rohit Sharma is an Indian cricketer and the captain of the Indian cricket team. He is known for his powerful batting.
Mumbai -: Mumbai is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is one of the largest cities in India and is known as the financial and entertainment capital of the country.