IND vs NZ: Rohit Sharma Stoops To New Low, Becomes First Indian Captain To Lose Test Series At Home By 3-0

IND vs NZ, 3rd Test: Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has been going through a lean patch in the longest format, particularly in the second half of this year. In January, the Men in Blue bounced back from 1-0 to win the five-match Test series against England by 4-1. They were considered one of the strong contenders to reach the WTC final of the ongoing cycle. They also had a slight edge over New Zealand before entering this three-match Test series.

But it turned out to be a nightmare for the Rohit Sharma-led side. Nobody expected that New Zealand would win even a single Test match in India as earlier they had won just two Test matches in the last few years in India. But the Tom Latham-led side outplayed them in all the departments and scripted history by winning the three-match Test series 3-0.

Rohit Sharma has thus become the first Indian skipper to have lost a Test series 3-0 in India. New Zealand also became the first team ever to have defeated India by 3-0 in a Test series in their backyard. Leading the team from the front in 15 Test matches after he took over from Virat Kohli, the team has lost four Test matches under his leadership.

Also Read: How can India still qualify for the WTC final after losing the 3rd Test match to New Zealand by 25 runs

Rohit Sharma's India crumbles under pressure

After losing the second Test match in Pune by 113 runs, it has been 4331 days since the host lost a home Test series. They last lost a home Test series in 2012 as the MS Dhoni-led side lost to England by 2-1 in the four-match Test series.

They were skittled out for just 46 runs during the first innings of the series opener and since then they could never really bounce back. While chasing a target of 147 runs to win the third Test match, star wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant did keep the team's hopes alive with a brilliant fifty, but he couldn't get any assistance from others.

After Pant was dismissed for scoring 64 runs, all the batters failed to fire with the bat and were bundled out for just 121 runs in 29.1 overs. They were once reeling at 29/5 in 7.1 overs and failed to face New Zealand's spin duo of Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips.

The hosts are now in a precarious situation as they need to defeat Australia 4-0 in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy to qualify for the WTC final. At the same time, the Pat Cummins-led side have become the new table toppers and are considered as one of the strong contenders to become one of the finalists at Lord's.