Here's how Sachin Tendulkar reacted to India's Test series loss
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has expressed his disappointment over India's recent home Test series defeat to New Zealand, calling it "a tough pill to swallow." This is the first time in 12 years that Team India has lost a Test series at home. The Kiwis thrashed the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, 3-0. India lost the third and final match by 25 runs in Mumbai, failing to reach the 147-run target on Day 3. Here's more.
Tendulkar urges introspection following series defeat
Tendulkar also called for introspection from the team, asking if the loss was due to lack of preparation, poor shot selection, or lack of match practice. Despite the overall disappointment, he praised Shubman Gill's 90 in the first innings and Rishabh Pant's twin fifties. "Shubman Gill showed resilience in the first innings, and Rishabh Pant was brilliant in both innings- his footwork made a challenging surface look like a different one altogether. He was simply superb," Tendulkar wrote on X.
Tendulkar lauds New Zealand's consistent performance
Tendulkar also praised New Zealand for their consistent performance in the series. "Full credit to New Zealand for their consistent performance throughout the series. Winning 3-0 in India is as good a result as it can get," he said. The Tom Latham-led side achieved a historic 3-0 clean sweep against India at the Wankhede Stadium, winning the third Test by 25 runs.
India's struggle and Pant's standout performance
India faltered on a spin-friendly track, losing half their side within the first eight overs while chasing 147 runs. Nevertheless, Pant counter-attacked before controversially getting out for 64 runs. Praising Pant's adaptability and skill on these challenging pitches, where many of his teammates faltered, Tendulkar also highlighted Ajaz Patel's standout bowling performance for New Zealand, who claimed six wickets in the match.
