Rohit Ridiculed, Pant Hailed: How NZ Media Reacted To Team's 3-0 Series Sweep Against India
New Zealand's historic 3-0 Test series whitewash against India has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world, with the Kiwi media celebrating their team's unprecedented victory. The series marked a momentous achievement for New Zealand, making them the first team ever to beat India in a Test series 3-0 on Indian soil.
The victory has been hailed as one of New Zealand’s greatest, with the team continuing their rise in international cricket since their first series win against Pakistan in 1969. However, India’s downfall, particularly under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, was the main topic of discussion in New Zealand media, where much of the attention focused on the contrast between the teams' performances.
Here’s a breakdown of how the Kiwi press reacted:
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Stuff.co.nz: Praised New Zealand’s stunning achievement, noting that the Black Caps delivered a series of results previously deemed unimaginable. Their victories in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai were described as incredible, with the site highlighting how India had only lost four home Tests in the past 12 years before this series.
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NZ Herald: Celebrated the Black Caps' dominance, with their performance in Mumbai considered the highlight. Despite India being in control at various points during the match, New Zealand's resilience ultimately saw them through, overcoming a team that had a near-perfect record when chasing small targets at home. The article acknowledged Mitchell Santner's heroics earlier in the series and how each victory seemed more remarkable than the last.
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Otago Daily Times: Emphasized that New Zealand’s 3-0 victory was possibly their greatest-ever test series win, especially given the circumstances. India, set a modest target of 146 in Mumbai, crumbled under pressure, with Rohit Sharma’s poor form continuing as he was dismissed for just 11. The report noted that India’s star players, including Virat Kohli, failed to withstand the Black Caps' attack, particularly in the final innings.
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1news.co.nz: Singled out Rishabh Pant for his valiant efforts, as the wicketkeeper-batter was the only one to offer resistance, scoring 64 runs off 57 balls in a counter-attacking innings. However, despite his heroics, India’s collapse in the final moments of the game sealed their fate.
The series sweep not only highlighted New Zealand’s tactical brilliance but also pointed to India’s struggles, particularly in the batting department. Rohit Sharma’s captaincy came under scrutiny, as he continued a poor run of form, failing to lead from the front. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant’s spirited performance was one of the few positives for India in an otherwise dismal series.
