Following India’s 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand, chief selector Ajit Agarkar was seen engaged in discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Abhishek Nayar. New Zealand celebrated their first-ever Test series victory in India, defeating the hosts by 25 runs on Day 3 of the third Test at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The conversation took place shortly after the match, looked serious, focused on the team’s performance and strategies for improvement moving forward. Agarkar, who is responsible for shaping the squad must be emphasising the need for a thorough analysis of the series to identify areas of weakness.
Unfortunate record in the GG Era
Gautam Gambhir coached, Indian cricket team has made an unfortunate record, becoming the first team to experience a clean sweep in a Test series on home ground when three or more matches are involved. This loss came at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where India faltered in their chase of a modest target of 147 runs. This venue is particularly notable as it was the site where South Africa achieved a feat years before, successfully chasing down 164 runs, thereby becoming the first team to sweep India in a series on Indian soil after winning the second Test in Bengaluru.
A walk down memory lane
The momentous series in 2000 saw Hansie Cronje’s South African team etch their name in history. For nearly 25 years, this achievement stood unchallenged—until October 3, when Tom Latham’s New Zealand team stunned the cricketing world by mirroring that accomplishment, sweeping India 3-0.
The irony of this situation is visible. In 2000, the Indian captain was none other than Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary “Master Blaster” from Mumbai. Fast forward 24 years, and it was another cherished Mumbaikar, Rohit Sharma, leading a team that faced this same disheartening defeat at home.
First Test series defeat after 12 years
This loss marks India’s first Test series defeat at home since 2012 and represents the first time in history that India has been defeated 3-0 in a Test series on home soil.
