As Team India suffer their second whitewash in three home series, mid-day finds out that barring success against a weaker Windies side, the tweakers have been outperformed and inconsistent in all other Tests
Ravindra Jadeja; Washington Sundar; Kuldeep Yadav. Pics/Getty Images, AFP
India vs NZ, 1st Test (Bengaluru, Oct 16-20, 2024)
On a spicy Chinnaswamy pitch, it was pace galore as India were bundled out for a record-breaking 46 in the first essay with Matt Henry (5-15) and Will O’Rourke (4-22) doing the damage. India left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (3-72), left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3-99) and offie Ravichandran Ashwin (1-94) did pick wickets, but gave too many runs as NZ piled up 402. India scored 462 in the second essay with NZ left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel (2-100) and offie Glenn Phillips (1-69) struggling to pick wickets, but it was not enough as a 107-run target proved to be too little. NZ won with eight wickets to spare as none of the Indian spinners took any wickets this time.
India vs NZ, 2nd Test (Pune, Oct 24-26, 2024)
India believed were on top as offies Washington Sundar (7-59) and R Ashwin (3-64) cleaned up NZ for 259. However, NZ spinners Mitchell Santner (7-53) and Phillips (2-26) dismissed India for 156. Sundar (4-56), Jadeja (3-72) and Ashwin (2-97) then claimed all wickets to limit NZ to 255, but while defending 359,
Santner (6-104), Ajaz Patel (2-43) and Phillips (1-60) also claimed all 10 wickets, restricting India to an even smaller 245.
India vs NZ, 3rd Test (Pune, Nov 1-3, 2024)
India were in a strong position after the first innings as they bowled out New Zealand for 235 thanks to spinners Jadeja (5-65) and Sundar (4-81). In response, the Kiwis made 263 despite Ajaz Patel’s fifer (5-103). In the second innings, Jadeja (5-55), Ashwin (3-63) and Sundar (1-30) restricted NZ to 174 in 45.5 overs before Patel (6-57) claimed an 11-wicket match haul while Phillips picked 3-42 as India, chasing 147, were bundled out for just 121.
India vs SA, 1st Test (Kolkata, Nov 14-16, 2025)
SA were bundled out for 159 as pacers Jasprit Bumrah (5-27) and Mohammed Siraj (2-47) dominated. Kuldeep (2-36) and left-arm spinner Axar Patel (1-21) could only pick three wickets combined. In response, India scored 189, taking a 30-run lead before SA off-spinner Simon Harmer (4-30) and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (1-66) posed plenty of problems. On a rank-turner, skipper Temba Bavuma’s 55 took South Africa to 153 inspite of Jadeja (4-50), Kuldeep (2-30) and Axar (1-36) finding some success. However, they were outperformed by Harmer (4-21), Maharaj (2-37) and part-time offie Aiden Markram (1-5) as India fell 30 short of a very chaseable 124-run target. Harmer was named player of the match.
India vs SA, 2nd Test (Guwahati, Nov 22-26, 2025)
Senuran Muthusamy (109) and Marco Jansen (93) helped SA put up a massive 489 in the first innings as Kuldeep (4-115), Jadeja (2-94), and Sundar
(0-58) went for runs. In response, India made just 201 as pacer Jansen (6-48) led SA’s charge alongside spinners Harmer (3-64) and Maharaj (1-39). SA cruised to 260-5 in the second innings before declaring as Jadeja (4-62), Sundar (1-67) and Kuldeep (0-48) again gave away too many. Chasing a mammoth 549, India (140 all out) were humbled by Harmer (6-37), Maharaj (2-37) and left-arm spinner Muthusamy (1-21), losing by a record 408 runs. The 36-year-old Harmer (17 wickets) was named player of the series.
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