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:New Zealand have suffered a double blow ahead of Friday's test against top-ranked Ireland with starting hooker Codie Taylor and flyhalf Beauden Barrett ruled out of the Dublin clash due to concussion protocols.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has criticised the pitch conditions where the India-New Zealand Test series was played. In the second and third Tests, New Zealand spinners outperformed Indian spinners, as Indian batters struggled to pick up the spin. Harbhajan criticised the pitches in Pune and Mumbai, which had served up rank turners where both sides struggled to score. As India's batting crumbled to 121 all out while chasing 146 on Day 3 of the third Test, Harbhajan said that India had dug their own grave.
India lost their top position in the World Test Championship standings, slipping to second place after suffering an embarrassing home series defeat to New Zealand on Sunday. India lost to New Zealand by 25 runs in the third and final Test in Mumbai resulting in a 0-3 whitewash, their first in a home Test series since South Africa's 2-0 win in 1999-2000. This was also for the first time India have been swept 0-3 in in a home series. It was India's fifth loss in the ongoing WTC cycle, causing a significant drop in their points percentage (PCT), which fell from 62.82 to 58.33. India thus dropped to the second spot behind reigning champions Australia, who have regained the top spot with a PCT of 62.50.
Unprecedented series defeats against Sri Lanka and New Zealand have placed Gautam Gambhir under immense pressure barely three months into his appointment as the head coach of the Indian team. He was appointed to the top post amid much fanfare and was also given a rare seat at the selection committee meeting for the tour of Australia. However, his initial report card clearly suggests things aren't looking good for the former India opener. Unless there is a remarkable turnaround Down Under, Gambhir, who was given a free hand in selection matters, may not have as much say in issues concerning the team in the coming times.
SEPANG, Malaysia : Australian Jack Miller said luck was on his side when the Red Bull KTM rider survived a nasty crash in the opening lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit on Sunday.
Senior batter KL Rahul and reserve keeper Dhruv Jurel will be flying to Australia for the second 'unofficial Test' between India A and Australia A starting November 7 at the MCG to give them some game time before the first game at Perth from November 22. Rahul and Jurel were part of the Indian squad for the New Zealand series but while the former played the opening game before being dropped from the playing XI, Jurel, who made his debut against England earlier this year, hasn't got a game since Rishabh Pant's comeback.
A drama-filled third Test between India and New Zealand concluded with the tourists securing a first-ever series sweep in the Indian sub-continent. India looked on song to secure a pride-salvaging victory against the Kiwis till the time Rishabh Pant was batting but the wicket-keeper batter's controversial dismissal shattered India's batting unit like a pack of cards. In the process, New Zealand became the first team in the history of the game to beat India 3-0 in their own home in a 3-match series.
Legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar has called for introspection after the hosts' suffered a 0-3 Test series defeat at the hands of New Zealand after losing the third game at the Wankhede Stadium by 25 runs on Sunday. As a result of the loss in Mumbai, Rohit Sharma-led India also lost their top spot in the World Test Championship standings and dropped to second place, behind new table-toppers Australia.