India lost the third Test against New Zealand by 25 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, October 3.
This defeat marked India’s first home whitewash since 2000, with New Zealand becoming the first team to sweep them in a series of more than two Tests.
Following the loss, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar called for introspection within the Indian team.
The team faced heavy criticism for their poor batting display, conceding a lead of over 100 runs in consecutive matches for the first time since 2021.
Except for Sarfaraz Khan, no Indian batter managed a century in the series. Tendulkar, however, praised Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant for their half-centuries in the third Test and acknowledged New Zealand’s impressive performance.
“Losing 3-0 at home is a tough pill to swallow, and it calls for introspection. Was it a lack of preparation, poor shot selection, or lack of match practice? Shubman Gill showed resilience in the first innings, and Rishabh Pant was outstanding in both innings—his footwork made a challenging surface seem easier. He was simply superb. Full credit to New Zealand for their consistent performance throughout the series. Winning 3-0 in India is as good a result as it can get,” Tendulkar tweeted on his ‘X’ handle.