India had a tough defeat, losing the third match to New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This loss meant New Zealand won all three matches in the series, marking the first time India has ever lost every game in a three-match Test series at home.
With this victory, New Zealand became only the fourth team to ever achieve a clean sweep against India in a series of three or more matches. Before this, only England, Australia, and the West Indies had done this. For New Zealand, this series was also special because it was the first time they've ever won three matches in a series, whether playing at home or in another country.
India lost the Wankhede Test match to New Zealand by 25 runs, which means New Zealand has now joined a small group of teams that have won a Test series in India since the year 2000. Before New Zealand, only Australia in 2004 and England in 2012 had been able to win a series in India. This shows how challenging it is to beat India in their own country. For the last 20 years, India has been very strong in home Test matches, so this series loss is an important and surprising moment in Indian cricket.
India’s standings slip in the WTC rankings.
This loss has affected India’s standing in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) rankings. India has dropped to second place with a points percentage (PCT) of 58.33, while Australia now leads with 62.5. For India, led by Rohit Sharma, this means they face a tough situation—if they want to reach the WTC final on their own, they must avoid any more losses in their next five matches. To improve their chances, India needs to win all five games against Australia. If they do, their PCT would go up to 69.29, which would be enough to secure a spot in the WTC final.
Match highlights
India started well in the third Test, scoring 263 runs in the first inning and holding New Zealand to just 235. In New Zealand’s second innings, Indian spin bowlers Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin performed well, taking eight wickets between them and bowling New Zealand out for 174. But when it was India’s turn to chase the target, they struggled. Top batsmen like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill got out early, making it hard for India to reach the target. Rishabh Pant scored 64 runs and gave some hope, but a disputed decision led to his dismissal, ending India’s chances.
Finally, New Zealand bowlers Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips stopped India’s lower-order players, securing a historic series win for New Zealand. This match showed how unpredictable Test cricket can be and the determination needed to stay strong against international teams.