Cricket

New Zealand has etched its name in cricket history by becoming the first team to inflict a humiliating 3-0 whitewash on India on home soil. The Kiwis' triumph at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday marked a watershed moment in the annals of Test cricket.This unprecedented victory is a testament to New Zealand's unwavering determination and tactical brilliance. It is the first time the Black Caps have ever won three Tests in a series, both home and away. Moreover, it is the first time they have triumphed in three consecutive away Tests.The whitewash is a bitter pill for India to swallow, as it is the first time they have been swept aside in a home series of three or more Tests. New Zealand joins an elite group of teams, including England, Australia, and the West Indies, to have whitewashed India in a series of three or more Tests.Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, who had previously taken ten wickets in an innings at the Wankhede Stadium, played a pivotal role in New Zealand's victory. His five wickets in the first innings prevented India from gaining a substantial lead. Patel's match-winning spell of 6/57 saw India collapse to a paltry 121 all out in just 29.1 overs.In the post-match presentation, New Zealand captain Tom Latham expressed his elation. "We are ecstatic," he said. "The boys have done a fantastic job over the last three Test matches. We are pretty happy. We just want to keep it simple here. We tried to be more proactive and guys chipped in. We are very happy to stand at this position."New Zealand's dominance was evident throughout the series. They won the first Test in Bengaluru by 8 wickets and the second Test in Pune by 113 runs. Their victory in Mumbai was a fitting end to a remarkable tour.

India's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final have been severely compromised after New Zealand inflicted a historic 0-3 series whitewash on them at home. This marks India's first-ever series loss in such a manner on home soil, with the third Test ending in a 25-run defeat at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.As a result, India has dropped to second place in the WTC standings with 58.33 percentage points (PCT), trailing Australia's 62.50 PCT. India had dominated the WTC standings for most of the 2024-25 cycle, but their recent three consecutive losses have cost them their top spot. They now face a significant challenge in reclaiming their position, as several teams are closely competing.New Zealand's impressive series sweep has boosted their tally to 54.55 PCT, bringing them close to Sri Lanka's third-place position with 55.56 PCT, a thin margin of just 1.01 PCT. The battle for the final spots in the championship has intensified after the India-New Zealand series. South Africa is also a strong contender, sitting fifth with 54.17 PCT. Four of the top five teams in the standings have their PCTs very close to each other, ranging between 54 and 59, which promises a thrilling finish as the championship cycle progresses.Following the top five, England holds the sixth position with 40.79 PCT. Pakistan, Bangladesh, and West Indies round off the standings with 33.33, 27.50, and 18.52 PCT respectively. The close competition among the top teams adds to the excitement for cricket fans as the final leg of the WTC cycle approaches.India's defeat is a significant development in the race for the World Test Championship final. The top teams are very close in the standings, making the upcoming matches crucial. Fans can expect nail-biting games as teams vie for the coveted top positions. With Australia now leading and New Zealand swiftly climbing the ranks, every match will play a pivotal role in determining the finalists for this prestigious tournament.

Queensland's Angus Lovell has propelled the Bulls to a commanding position in their Sheffield Shield clash against New South Wales, scoring a maiden first-class century and leading his team to a 167-run lead.Lovell's unbeaten 146, crafted with patience and determination at Cricket Central in western Sydney, was the cornerstone of Queensland's dominant day three performance. The 25-year-old shared a mammoth 310-run partnership with Ben McDermott, who contributed a valuable 87 off 143 deliveries.Despite the absence of wickets for Test quick Josh Hazlewood, who bowled 24 overs without success, Queensland's top-six batsmen all made significant contributions. Lovell's century was particularly impressive, as he capitalized on two missed chances by NSW fielders.Lovell's heroics with the bat followed his impressive performance with the ball, where he claimed 3 for 13 to clean up the NSW tail. His all-round display continued a remarkable run of form, having recently scored an unbeaten 250 for Queensland's second XI.After McDermott's dismissal, Lovell forged another substantial partnership with Lachlan Hearne, who made 58 before falling to Ryan Hadley. Tanveer Sangha also picked up two wickets for NSW.Queensland will enter the final day with a significant advantage, needing to set a challenging target before attempting to dismiss NSW's batsmen. The Bulls will be aiming to build on their lead and secure a crucial victory in their Shield campaign.

India's humiliating 3-0 Test series defeat at home against New Zealand has left captain Rohit Sharma grappling with a bitter pill to swallow. The skipper acknowledged the team's collective failure, citing numerous mistakes and a lack of top-notch cricket.Chasing a modest 147 to salvage some pride, India collapsed to a dismal 121 all out. Despite Rishabh Pant's valiant 64, the team's batting woes continued, with the top order crumbling to 29 for 5. Pant's dismissal to a controversial third-umpire decision proved to be the final nail in the coffin."Losing a series, losing a Test match is never easy, but [this is] something that is not easily digested," Rohit lamented. "We didn't play our best cricket. We know that and we accept that. New Zealand played better than us throughout the series."Rohit highlighted the team's inability to post substantial first-innings totals in the first two Tests, putting them on the back foot. He also acknowledged the younger players' ability to score runs on challenging pitches, while he and Virat Kohli struggled."Those guys showed how to bat on these surfaces," Rohit said of the younger lot. "You have to be slightly ahead, and be proactive when you're playing on a pitch like that."Rohit's own batting form has been under scrutiny, with only one half-century in the series. He admitted to being disappointed with his performance and acknowledged that his captaincy could have been better.Despite the setbacks, Rohit remained optimistic about the team's future. "We are aware of what we need to do," he said. "It's just that, this was an unfortunate series where it didn't come off."

Victoria's hopes of securing a victory against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide hang in the balance after a dominant performance from Ben Manenti. The offspinning allrounder played a pivotal role with both bat and ball, leaving South Australia in a commanding position heading into the final day.Victoria's openers managed to survive six overs unscathed, but they still require a daunting 337 runs to secure victory. South Australia's declaration late in the day set Victoria a challenging target of 346, thanks in large part to Manenti's aggressive batting.Manenti's unbeaten 62 off 71 balls, which included three towering sixes, was the highlight of South Australia's second innings. He came to the crease with his team in trouble at 176 for 6, but his top-scoring performance helped them post a competitive total.Earlier in the day, Manenti had also impressed with the ball, claiming career-best figures of 5 for 73. He picked up four top-order wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Victoria's wicketkeeper Sam Harper, who had revived their innings on day two.Victoria resumed day three on 195 for 7, but Harry Conway's dismissal of Harper proved to be a turning point. Harper had reached 89 before being trapped lbw, ending his hopes of a century. Manenti then wrapped up the innings by bowling Doug Warren, leaving Victoria with a 75-run deficit.South Australia's second innings got off to a shaky start when Henry Hunt was caught behind without scoring. However, Jake Lehmann made amends for his first-innings duck with a well-compiled 60. Alex Carey, who has been in impressive form this season, also contributed with a valuable innings.Veteran paceman Peter Siddle was the most successful bowler for Victoria, claiming 4 for 63 for the second time in the match. Rookie spinner Warren also impressed with 3 for 74.With Victoria needing a significant number of runs to win and South Australia's bowlers in good form, the match is poised for an exciting conclusion on the final day.

India's Test dominance at home has been shattered by New Zealand, who have inflicted a humiliating 0-3 whitewash on the hosts. This is the first time India have been swept aside in a home Test series since 1998, when Australia achieved the feat.The Kiwis' triumph began with an eight-wicket victory in Bengaluru, followed by a 113-run triumph in Pune. In Mumbai, they completed the clean sweep with a 25-run win at the Wankhede Stadium.Chasing a modest 147, India's batting crumbled once again. Captain Rohit Sharma (11) fell early, followed by Shubman Gill (1) and Virat Kohli (1). Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) and Sarfaraz Khan (1) also departed cheaply, leaving India reeling at 29/5.Rishabh Pant (64) and Ravindra Jadeja (28) provided some resistance with a 42-run stand, but Pant's dismissal after lunch triggered a collapse. Ajaz Patel (6/57) was the wrecker-in-chief, while Matt Henry (1/10) and Glenn Philips (3/42) also contributed.New Zealand's victory marks the first time they have won a Test series in India since 2012. They are also the first team to whitewash India in a home Test series in over 24 years.India's batting woes have been a major concern throughout the series. The top order has failed to provide a solid foundation, while the middle order has been unable to capitalize on starts. The bowling attack, led by Jadeja, has been competitive but has lacked support from the batsmen.New Zealand, on the other hand, have played with great discipline and determination. Their bowlers have been relentless, while their batsmen have shown resilience and adaptability.The whitewash is a major setback for India, who have been the dominant force in Test cricket in recent years. It will be interesting to see how they respond in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.

Tasmania's hopes of salvaging a result against Western Australia in their Sheffield Shield clash at Bellerive Oval took a significant blow on day three, as the visitors declared their first innings on 460 for 9, leaving the home side with a daunting task to avoid defeat.Hilton Cartwright was the star for Western Australia, scoring a magnificent 153 to help his team establish a commanding position. The right-hander, who had survived a controversial caught-behind decision on the previous evening, batted with great determination and skill, striking 18 boundaries in his 278-ball knock.Cartwright shared century partnerships with Jayden Goodwin (94) and Ashton Agar (74), as Western Australia gradually wore down the Tasmanian bowlers. Goodwin fell six runs short of a second first-class century, while Agar was eventually trapped lbw by Matthew Kuhnemann, who finished with impressive figures of 5 for 100.Tasmania's bowlers toiled hard throughout the day, but they were unable to make significant inroads into the Western Australian batting lineup. Gabe Bell provided a brief glimmer of hope with two wickets in successive overs, but Cartwright and Agar steadied the ship with a substantial partnership.In response, Tasmania's openers Jake Weatherald and Caleb Jewell failed to survive the testing conditions, falling for 0 and 1 respectively. The home side will need to produce a remarkable batting performance on day four to avoid a heavy defeat.

India's quest for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 final has hit a roadblock following their home series defeat to New Zealand. This setback marks India's first home Test series loss since 2012 and has significantly impacted their qualification prospects.Prior to the New Zealand series, India held a commanding lead in the WTC standings with a percentage (PCT) of 68.06. However, consecutive losses have seen their PCT plummet to 62.82, with Australia lurking close behind at 62.50 and Sri Lanka trailing at 55.56.India's path to the WTC final has become increasingly challenging. Five of their remaining matches are part of the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, a formidable opponent. To secure a place in the final, India must emerge victorious in four out of the five Tests against Australia.The outcome of other series will also play a crucial role in India's qualification hopes. South Africa, currently fourth with a PCT of 54.17, will host two Tests each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Sri Lanka, in third place with a PCT of 55.56, faces a daunting series against South Africa as they aim to reach their first ICC final in over a decade.With several crucial series yet to be played, the final outcome of this WTC cycle remains uncertain. Teams will need to demonstrate consistency, handle pressure effectively, and seize every opportunity to secure a place in the final at Lord's.

India's dominance at home, built on the performances of Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rohit Sharma, has come to an abrupt end with New Zealand's historic 3-0 Test series victory. This defeat has raised concerns about the future of these aging heroes, who have been instrumental in India's success over the years.Kohli, Rohit, Ashwin, and Jadeja have been the backbone of India's Test team, leading them to two World Test Championship finals and a 12-year winning streak in home Test series. However, their recent performances have raised questions about their ability to continue at the highest level.In the recent series against New Zealand, Kohli struggled to score runs, accumulating just 93 runs at an average of 15.50. Rohit's performance was also disappointing, with 91 runs in 3 Tests at an average of 15.17. Ashwin's bowling was inconsistent, allowing the New Zealand batsmen to score freely. Jadeja, while still a crucial part of the team, has seen his economy rate rise in recent matches.The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia will be a crucial test for these senior players. If they fail to perform, it could signal the end of an era for Indian cricket.