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In Bengaluru, India had cited the adverse weather conditions and the decision at the toss as critical factors for the loss. In Pune, the batters were not able to get the likes of Mitchell Santner out of the box and had admitted that they needed to be playing more sweeps and reverse-sweeps on occasions to put the bowlers off. By the time they were in Mumbai, they had no excuses. No solutions. No answers. They were instead left fending for reasons to fathom just how New Zealand had managed to and become the first team to clean sweep them 3-0 on Indian soil in 130 years. For instance, they did play their sweeps and reverse sweeps - both of which had a couple of disastrous consequences - and had no change in the eventual result from the second Test. And no longer could the outcome be brushed away as "things that are allowed to happen once in 12 years". The scoreline, after all, aptly reflected the way in which which New Zealand had outplayed India, and left them in a state of shock. This was just not just a one-off defeat. This was complete domination on the part of the Kiwis and an abject surrender as far as India are concerned. has been cited multiple times by different members of India's team-management over the course of the series. That they could produce quick runs was never in doubt after that. But sticking to a largely aggressive approach, has often waylaid the team in direr conditions that have prevailed throughout this series in all three Tests. At the centre of that approach was the captain himself, who on the final day was out trying to score quick runs on a wearing pitch. While his shot-selection - an attempted pull - could be in question, the approach for the surface was par for the course. But tellingly, Rohit's poor run has extended through the year. His average of 29.40 is the lowest for him in a calendar year since he started opening in the format in 2019. Remarkably, this has been his best year in T20 cricket in the same period with his avg (36.13) & strike rate (154.66) both the highest for a calendar year. "I haven't defended a lot in this series because I haven't been there much to defend," Rohit said. "I have to look at my own game and try and see what best I can do. When I go to bat, I always think about how I can put the team in the best situation of the game so sometimes when the openers go in, they set the tone. "Sometimes you can fall on the other side of it as well, and in this series, I have fallen on the other side of it. I don't see that I have lost faith in my defence. It's just that I need to spend more time defending balls, which I haven't done in this series," admitted Rohit and added a revelatory statement. "So, as you grow, you try and evolve, and I am trying to evolve as a batter as well to try and see what else I can do. So, in that, there is a chance that you can fall on the other side of it, which clearly I have. So, I will re-look at my game and see what best I can do." India's batting evolution or the attempt to do so has been exaggerated since Kanpur. Whether it's their relative success there that has spurred them on to do so, or if they believe that this is the way Test cricket should now be played, like England do, is up for debate. "When sometimes the wickets as tricky as they have been over the last couple of games and sometimes trying to fire a shot and get runs is certainly more important than necessarily batting time," believed Tom Latham. Interestingly, the Man of the Series Will Young had a strike-rate of only 53 over the series and his trust in defence and the ability to play spin on a tough surface even offers the counterpoint to a one-eyed outlook on batting on tough surfaces. The approach as cited by both captains were also dictated by the conditions. wWKk6XXw0j "Playing on pitches and all of that, we don't decide so much before," said Rohit. "What we want changes from series to series. We played on really good pitches against England. And this time around, we felt that this was the right thing for us to do as a team. More often than not, we have come on the right side of it. This is the only time where we have fallen short in terms of what we wanted to achieve from this series," he said when asked if India would review their strategy of playing on turning pitches. The points up for grabs in this series was a carrot that India could not avoid, try as they may. They'd have been sitting pretty if the results had gone their way, and headed to Australia on a more confident note, as well as an easier route to the final. Now, they can't afford to lose even one game Down Under if they are to make it to the final without depending on other results. Additionally, some of these pitches also meant a lesser workload for their pacers with the spinners having to do the bulk of the job. Heading into Australia, that could have helped put them in a better stead. India, eventually, went into the final Test without the services of Jasprit Bumrah even as crucial WTC points were at stake. While India might have been confident about this route taken for this series, it ultimately worked against them. It brought in a trio of non-regular spinners like Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips on equal footing with the likes of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The additional pressure caused by the lack of runs meant that the trio found a place in cricketing folklore, as the most unlikeliest combination to not only ride up a mountain but sever the demon himself. Additionally, it did not serve much purpose to their pace-bowling questions. Is Akash Deep ahead of Mohammad Siraj now in the pecking order, behind Bumrah? Is Siraj the same bowler he was a few years ago? In Mumbai, Siraj had little to do and heading into Australia, that would be another question to add to the many more that India'd have to face. BJMGjGjMRWj A little over four months ago, Rohit and Kohli were a picture of glee having won that elusive ICC title. Now, being a part of the an unwanted piece of history will be a blemish on their career. And more so because, neither could manage to impose themselves on the game. Kohli has looked a far-cry from his confident self as he was in his run-scoring days. Changes to stance and endless workout in the 'nets' haven't brought him closer to the results that he'd have wanted. "It's one day you're on a high, one day you're not. And that is something that I've learned at a very young age about life," Rohit said. "So, but that is something that personally I also drive myself through with not getting carried away with certain things in life. It is important, you know, for me to understand that, you know, life is not about just highs. There can be lows as well, which I've seen a lot through my career. So, but definitely, you know, something like this will be a very low point in my career, you know, having lost, you know, three games at home. "And, yep, we, I fully take the responsibility of that, you know, as a captain and as a leader as well. I have not been at the best of my abilities right from the start of the series. And yeah, with the bat as well, I've not been good enough," philosophized Rohit. "But just right now, it's just trying to understand what we didn't do right, and what we need to do better as a team. We made a lot of mistakes. So, those mistakes need to be addressed, it's something we will talk about," he added. Those conversations, you'd imagine, would be as hard as the series had been for his team.

Riding on Ajaz Patel's 6-57 in the fourth innings, New Zealand edged out India by 25 runs on the third day of the final Test in Mumbai to complete a historic 3-0 whitewash. It is the first time that India have been whitewashed at home in a series spanning three or more games. Starting the second session with 55 more to win and four wickets in left, India's chances rested solely on Rishabh Pant (64) whose adventurous knock kept the hosts in the chase. However, Ajaz soon put a stop to India's hopes as he had the left-hander caught behind in what was a hugely controversial decision. Pant was initially given not out by on-field umpire Richard Illingworth but on DRS, UltraEdge detected the tiniest of murmurs. The problem for the third umpire was that it was difficult to say whether it was of bat hitting the pad or a tiny edge. In such cases, the on-field call generally stays but Paul Reiffel seemed convinced to overturn it, much to Pant's shock. It was a body blow for India and from then on, the result was a foregone conclusion even with Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin at the crease. The nature of the pitch and India's lack of intent with the blade meant that Pant had to bat all the way through to get the job done. The Tamil Nadu duo did hang around a bit but Ashwin's attempted reverse sweep off Glenn Phillips ended his stay at the crease. The New Zealander then cleaned up Akash Deep for a duck next ball to hasten the end. Fittingly for New Zealand, Ajaz sealed the game as Sundar's missed his attempted slog sweep to be cleaned up. Of the three New Zealand wins in the series, this arguably came on the toughest pitch of them all. The visitors won a handy toss and to be fair, batting wasn't that difficult on the morning session of the first day. But things unraveled quickly thereafter as the game got completed inside two-and-a-half days. As many as 14 wickets fell on the opening day while 15 perished on the second day. Today, the 11 remaining wickets fell before the halfway mark of the day. On such a difficult surface, batting was bound to be a lottery and batting last certainly wasn't going to be easy. Credit, though, to the Black Caps as they got a respectable first innings total thanks to Daryl Mitchell (82) and Will Young (71) whose fifties propped the innings up even as the others struggled to get going. Ravindra Jadeja (5-65) and Washington Sundar (4-81) used the conditions well after the hosts had started erratically on the opening day. New Zealand were 159/3 at one point, eyeing a total of 275-plus if not 300 but were eventually bundled out for 235. Ashwin had an indifferent outing and was wicketless in the first innings. India had a golden opportunity to bat New Zealand out of the game. While the surface was deteriorating, gaining a lead of about 60-70 or 100 would have been game-defining. Unfortunately for the home side, only Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) as Ajaz spun a web around the batters. While Gill and Pant were on song, India were comfortably placed at 180/4 but like their opponents, they too endured a big collapse. If not for Washington Sundar's 36-ball 38 at the back end, India may not have even got a lead. Ultimately, the lead of 28, even though slender, wasn't as significant in smothering New Zealand's confidence and momentum. India did bowl well in the second innings as Jadeja got yet another fifer in the game. Ashwin also found his mojo with a three-fer as New Zealand could only muster 174, which meant a target of 147. It was one of those in between targets that often caused chaos for the chasing side, especially on such a raging turner. India needed a solid start to get into the groove but before they knew it, they were 29/5 in the seventh over and from there, on this pitch, there was no looking back. That India managed to drag the game this close was thanks to Pant's second fifty in the game and the left-hander certainly appeared to bat on a different surface with his intent and gameplay. But with nobody to partner him and a crumbling pitch, the odds were stacked heavily against the wicketkeeper batter. Ultimately, it was a controversial dismissal that cut short his innings as New Zealand took the plunge towards history in what will be remembered as the biggest cricketing month of their history. New Zealand 235 (Daryl Mitchell 82, Will Young 71; Ravindra Jadeja 5-65, Washington Sundar 4-81) and 174 (Will Young 51; Ravindra Jadeja 5-55, Ravichandran Ashwin 3-63) beat India 263 (Shubman Gill 90, Rishabh Pant 60; Ajaz Patel 5-103) and 121 (Rishabh Pant 64; Ajaz Patel 6-57) by 25 runs.

Tests won by New Zealand in this series makes it the first ever instance of them winning as many in a series - home or away. To put in more context, New Zealand had won just two of their first 36 matches on Indian shores prior to this tour and the last of which came way back in 1988. This also becomes the first time that New Zealand have won three consecutive Tests away from home. They won back to back away Tests only five times previously, four of which came in either Bangladesh or Zimbabwe and the lone other instance came in England in 2021 when they beat the hosts in Birmingham and followed it up in the WTC final against India in Southampton. The target of 147 defended by New Zealand is the second lowest ever by them in the fourth innings of a Test after 137 against England in Wellington in 1978, which was their maiden Test win against England. The only other time they successfully defended a sub-200 target in Asia was in Abu Dhabi in 2018 against Pakistan when they defended 176, with Ajaz Patel taking 5/59 on debut. n80KA2n964Q 0-3 is the first instance of India getting whitewashed in a series of three or more matches at home. The only other home whitewash in a home series of any length came at the hands of South Africa in 2000 when they lost 0-2. Coincidentally, both series had Tests hosted at Chinnaswamy and Wankhede. This was the fourth instance of India losing three consecutive home Tests and the first since 1976/77. They lost three against West Indies in 1958/59 and three against England in 1976/77 while the third sequence came across a three year span where they lost two to Australia in 1969/70 and then lost the first Test of the 1972/73 series against England. - India have now lost four home Tests in 2024, one against England in January before this 0-3 defeat, the joint most in a calendar year. This is only the second such instance of India losing four in a calendar year at home after 1969 when they lost three to Australia and one to New Zealand. Five defeats for Rohit Sharma in 16 home Tests makes it the second worst for an Indian captain at home. The only other captain to lose more is MAK Pataudi who lost nine out of 27. - The target of 147 is the second lowest India have failed to achieve in the fourth innings of a Test behind 120 against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1997. It is also the first time they failed to chase down a sub-200 target in home Tests, the previous lowest being 221 against Pakistan in Bengaluru in 1987 (lost by 16 runs). There's only one lower target successfully defended by any team in India - 107 by the hosts against Australia at the same venue in 2004. 9zePM6PyE4 wickets by Ajaz at Wankhede is the most by a visiting bowler at a venue in India, surpassing Ian Botham's 22 wickets at the same venue. Ajaz followed up his figures of 14/225 in 2021 here with 11/160. 25 of Ajaz's 85 wickets (29.4%) have come at Wankhede alone. 4PkNoMbENJ - Ten wicket hauls for Ajaz - only the third New Zealander to achieve multiple ten-wicket hauls after Richard Hadlee (nine) and Daniel Vettori (three). He is the second visiting bowler to take multiple ten-wicket hauls in India after Saqlain Mushtaq. - This was the first instance of left-arm spinners taking five-fers in each of the four innings of a Test: Ravindra Jadeja (5/65 & 5/55) and Ajaz (5/103 & 6/57). There's only one previous instance of two left-arm spinners sharing ten-wicket hauls in a Test - Ray Bright (10/111) and Iqbal Qasim (10/118) in Karachi in 1980.

Rohit Sharma weighed in on the contentious decision by the third umpire to rule Rishabh Pant out, with the Indian captain stating that he was not sure why the on-field umpire's decision was overruled. Pant's sensational 57-ball 64 came to an end in somewhat controversial manner in the second over after Lunch on the third and final day of the Mumbai Test. In the 22nd over of India's chase, Pant skipped down the wicket to Ajaz Patel and after having not quite gotten to the pitch of the ball, he lunged forward in defence to smother the delivery. The ball passed close to his bat and ballooned up after striking the pad with 'keeper Tom Blundell completing an easy take. Umpire Richard Illingworth ruled it 'not out' before New Zealand sought a referral. During the review process, UltraEdge picked up a 'spike' just as the ball passed the bat. But at the same time, Pant's bat also appeared to have made contact with his front pad, something he appeared to be stating to the on-field umpires as third umpire Paul Reiffel went through the replays before overturning the on-field call. The decision had a cataclysmic effect on India's hopes and the hosts slipped to a 25-run loss shortly thereafter and fell to a 0-3 series sweep. "About that dismissal, I honestly, I don't know. If we say something, it is not accepted well," Rohit began in the post-match press conference. "But if there is no conclusive evidence, it has to go, it has to stand with the umpire's on-field decision. That is what I have been told. So, I don't know how that decision was overturned since the umpire didn't give him out. "You know, the bat was clearly close to the pad. So, again, I don't know if it is the right thing for me to talk about. It is something for the umpires to think about. Have the same rules for every team, not keep changing their mind. But again, that dismissal actually was very, very crucial from our point of view. Rishabh was really looking good at that point and it felt like he will take us through. But it was an unfortunate dismissal, got out and then we were bowled out right after that." The adjudication was picked up on social media too with former South Africa captain AB de Villiers citing the grey area in the use of technology. "Controversy! Little grey area once again," de Villiers wrote on X. "Did Pant get bat on that or not? Problem is when the ball passes the bat at exactly the same time a batter hits his pad snicko will pick up the noise. But how sure are we he hit it? I've always worried about this and here it happens at a huge moment in a big Test match. Where's hotspot?!" "Fact is there must've been doubt. Surely you stay with on-field call then? Unless the 3rd Ump clearly saw a deviation? I'm not so sure. And don't get me wrong, I have no bias here, just pushing for consistent calls and good use of tech," de Villiers added. Reacting to the decision in his post-match press conference, New Zealand captain Tom Latham said that the close-in fielders had heard two noises and decided to review. "Yeah a few of us heard two noises so I guess when you review it in that situation you know you leave it up to the umpire's hands, so we can't necessarily see the footage that the third umpire gets so yeah, that's certainly out of our control in terms of what and what that may look like. But you know we obviously heard a couple of noises and decided to take the review and obviously it fell on the right side for us so yeah that's obviously up to the umpires it's out of our control."

Events in the sub-continent over the last three weeks have caused tectonic shifts in the WTC points table. South Africa and New Zealand have made strong pushes for a finals spot following their whitewashes in Bangladesh and India respectively. India, who were sitting comfortably with a marked distance from the rest after the 2-0 win over Bangladesh, have now been displaced from the top spot by Australia. With seven series left to be played in this cycle, five teams still have their fate in their own hands (well, almost) which makes it the most closely contested WTC cycle in the three iterations. Here's how things stand for the five top teams in contention. n8Nj4BWe6JA 5 Tests vs Australia (Away) India have ceded a lot of the ground following a at the hands of New Zealand and to not depend on other results, they would need to win by a margin of 5-0 or 4-0 in Australia and get their PCT above 65% which can only be topped by either of South Africa or Sri Lanka. Even if they win by a margin of 4-1 and get to 64.1%, they could still be pipped by either of South Africa (69.4%) or Sri Lanka (69.2%) and New Zealand (64.3%) should those teams win all their remaining Tests. If India lose by a 2-3 scoreline Down Under, they will still be pipped by Australia even if Pat Cummins' subsequently lose 0-2 in Sri Lanka and most likely by at least one of South Africa, Sri Lanka, or New Zealand. 2 Tests vs Sri Lanka (home); 2 Tests vs Pakistan (home) Having spent the first half of the cycle in the lower rungs of the table, South Africa have sprung to life following their thumping 2-0 win in Bangladesh. They have four Tests in hand - all at home - and winning all four guarantees a spot in the final with 69.4% as only Australia can then catch them up on points. Three wins in four will also will help them to finish with 61%, which gives them more than a fair chance, but they will need other teams in contention to drop points. 3 Tests vs England (home) The inaugural WTC champions New Zealand did not have the finals spot in their sights after the 2-0 drubbing in Sri Lanka but the remarkable 3-0 win in India has given them a second lease of life. They can still lose out even if they get the better of England 3-0, as one of South Africa or Sri Lanka and either of Australia or India can still go past their maximum achievable PCT of 64.3%. Should the South Africa-Sri Lanka series end in a 1-1 stalemate, neither can surpass New Zealand's maximum PCT of 64.3% and only one among India or Australia can which is enough for New Zealand to guarantee a ticket to Lord's. If New Zealand fail to maximize points against England, their PCT will fall under 60% and would need multiple other results come their favour. 5 Tests vs India (home); 2 Tests vs Sri Lanka (away) Australia, who have been cooling their heels since playing their last Test in mid March, have leapt to the top of the table courtesy India's three defeats on the bounce. If they win at least five of the seven remaining games, they will have a good chance to defend their title at Lord's next year. They have series scheduled against two teams that sit right below them in the table and victories against them will shave off points from their direct competitors' tally and advance their cause. A 4-0 win against India followed by a 0-2 defeat to Sri Lanka could prove futile for Australia as both New Zealand (64.3% if they beat England 3-0) and Sri Lanka (69.2%, if they beat South Africa 2-0) can surpass the defending champions' 62.3%. 2 Tests vs South Africa (away); 2 Tests vs Australia (home) Sri Lanka have climbed the charts with three back to back wins against England and New Zealand and have four matches to play. Wins in all four will take them to 69.2% PCT which can only be surpassed if India win Border Gavaskar Trophy five Tests to nil. Three wins in four will also help them finish with 61% which gives them a fair chance, but they will need other teams in contention to drop points..

A few minutes past 1 PM on a hot Sunday afternoon, the sparse partisan crowd at the Wankhede stadium witnessed unprecedented scenes. Ajaz Patel knocked back Washington Sundar's stumps, prompting his teammates to converge on him within seconds to celebrate the kind of series win New Zealand had never experienced before. The moment capped off a surreal [nearly] three weeks for the visiting side, that became the first to inflict a 3-0 whitewash on India in their own den. "I'm lost for words a little bit in terms of what's happened over the last three days, but also the last sort of three weeks," New Zealand captain Tom Latham said. "I guess if you asked me at the start of the tour whether I would have liked to be in this position... to be here now and play the cricket that we've played is really special and I'm really proud of the group." New Zealand arrived in India with a bag of red flags. Their senior-most batter Kane Williamson was out for the first - and eventually all three - Tests due to an injury and Tim Southee had just relinquished captaincy in the aftermath of Test series humbling in Sri Lanka, including an innings where they were bundled out for 88. As far as initiations go, Latham couldn't have stepped in as permanent skipper of the side in a tougher tour on paper. But, with a collective effort, his team ripped up all the conventional wisdom that came with being a touring side in India in some style. "I guess from my point of view, leading this group... It's always a really proud moment to lead New Zealand and I guess to come here and be my first time as full-time captain and to be in this position is really special," Latham said. "But for me it's not about me, it's about the team and yeah the team has done the job. At the end of the day, everyone's chipped in when they need it and that's the beauty of a team sport. It's not going to be everyone's day on particular days but guys stand up when they need to. And guys stood up at certain times throughout this whole series which I'm really proud of," he added. New Zealand's stronghold in the series began as early as the , when the grey overheads and India's misstep at the toss allowed them to make a statement start. The quicks made most of the assistance to bundle out the home side for 46, after which India played catch-up all through. "I think that wicket in Bangalore was a pretty tricky one and I think our seamers did a fantastic job in terms of what we were able to achieve there and we certainly knew in these conditions naturally, the way that India play, they are quite aggressive and tend to take the game on a little bit more and that's something we spoke about and something that we tried to plan for," Latham opined. New Zealand bowlers began what was the last day of the series exactly like they did the first - by rattling India's top-order quickly. In chase of 147, the home side had fallen to 29/5. Latham talked up his team's ability to have runs on the board throughout the series, and yet remained wary of the threat that Rishabh Pant brought in such situations. "Even today, you know with Rishabh [Pant] still there, I certainly didn't believe that the game was over and you know they have match winners throughout their side and they've been successful playing the way that they've been playing for a long period of time," Latham said. "I think we managed to fall on the right side of a couple of tosses and I guess in doing that we managed to put runs on the board in the last couple of games and I guess when you're chasing scores and you know from our point of view runs on the board are really important and some of these pitches that we've played on have been really hard. "They certainly haven't got easier from a batting point of view, so we knew today India were going to come hard. They did that in Pune and they did that again today. And we obviously managed to get the results which was really nice," Latham added. One of the big reasons for Latham's team pulling off the unthinkable with a 3-0 win has been their determination to not take their feet off the pedal, even after a winning start to the series. Going on to tame a wounded Indian side in Pune and then finishing off the job in Mumbai shortly after has left Latham with a series win he'll 'never forget'. "Pretty happy we got the job done. It's been a massive achievement and I think after the first one it was obviously pretty special the second one - to win a series you know was even more special. And we spoke about coming here and trying to adapt as much as we can and I guess to be in this position [3-0], it's certainly a series that I'll never forget. "We'll obviously share that, and we'll celebrate as a group together tonight and the next couple of days before we head home, but yeah it's certainly been an amazing series to be a part of. I think it will sink in a little bit more when we get home and once the dust settles, but yeah it's been a fantastic achievement," he said.

Skipper Nathan McSweeney (88*) and Beau Webster (61*) put on an unbroken 141-run stand as Australia A secured a seven-wicket win over India A in the first unofficial Test in Mackay. Starting the day at 139/3, McSweeney and Webster controlled the chase with a measured partnership that blunted India A's bowlers en route to the win. McSweeney, eyeing up that Test opener's role for the senior side's upcoming series against India, looked untroubled during his stay as he struck a few elegant boundaries all around the park. Webster curbed his natural power game and struck just four boundaries in his 117-ball knock but the crucial element for Australia A was that he stuck around with McSweeney to get the job done. The day wasn't without controversy as there was a ball change early in the morning, an event that left India A's players unhappy, especially Ishan Kishan who even had an argument with the on-field umpire. Fortunately, things didn't go out of hand as the action resumed soon. Apart from Mukesh Kumar and Prasidh Krishna, India A's bowling lacked penetration in the fourth innings. In hindsight, the visitors batting performance on the opening day let them down as they got rolled over for 107 in bowler-friendly conditions. Brendan Doggett's 6-15 decimated India A's batting unit with only three batters getting to double digits. There was extra bounce and plenty of lateral movement on offer, all of which proved too hot to handle for India A. To their credit, the tourists also responded with a strong bowling performance led by Mukesh Kumar's 6-46. The Australia A batters also found it tough but unlike their opponents, had four players getting past the 30s. A first innings lead of 86 on this pitch always seemed a very significant one although conditions did improve for batting relatively. Sai Sudharsan (103) and Devdutt Padikkal (88) put on a marathon 196-run stand in the second innings to raise hopes of a dramatic fightback but apart from their knocks, India A's batting floundered yet again. From a comfortable 226-2, India A were shot out for 312 with Fergus O Neill (4-55) and Todd Murphy (3-77) doing the damage. The target of 225 seemed a fighting one but Australia A's senior duo quashed matters with a decisive unbroken stand. India A 107 (Devdutt Padikkal 36; Brendan Doggett 6-15) & 312 (Sai Sudharsan 103, Devdutt Padikkal 88; Fergus O'Neill 4-55, Todd Murphy 3-77) lost to Australia A 195 (Nathan McSweeney 39; Mukesh Kumar 6-46) & 226/3 (Nathan McSweeney 88*, Beau Webster 61*; Prasidh Krishna 1-27) by seven wickets.

"YOU SCRATCH it, we change the ball." With those words, which were overheard through the stump mic on Sunday (November 3) morning, umpire Shawn Craig kicked off what looks like more a ball-change issue than a ball tampering controversy that took centre-stage in Mackay. Even as Nathan McSweeney strengthened his chances of becoming the next Test opener for Australia while guiding Australia A to a convincing victory against India A. The reason the umpires' decision was not deemed as "tampering" with the state of the ball probably has to do with them not enforcing the "five penalty runs" which they are allowed to do based on the MCC laws of the game. "41.3.4.2 - Regardless of whether a replacement ball has been chosen to be used, the bowler's end umpire shall; award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing side; if appropriate, inform the batters at the wicket and the captain of the fielding side that the ball has been changed and the reason for their action; inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable of what has occurred," is how it reads. However, the Australia A v India A is being played under Cricket Australia's playing conditions for the Sheffield Shield and Second XI matches, which allow for the umpires to change the ball without enforcing the penalty. And as a rule, playing conditions always supersede the MCC laws of the game. "41.3.4: If the umpires together suspect, but are not certain, that the condition of the ball has been unfairly changed, or that its condition is inconsistent with the use it has received, the umpires may: 41.3.4.1: Change the ball forthwith. The umpires shall choose a replacement ball for one of similar wear and of the same brand as the ball in use prior to the contravention 41.3.4.2: Bowler's end umpire shall issue the captain with a first and final warning." To put it more simply, the umpires in Mackay could have leaned on not being "certain" that the condition of the ball was unfairly altered by the India A players even if they might have suspected it. "Ball tampering" is a Level 3 offence which could carry a ban for the captain or players involved. And it's this slightly more nuanced explanation in CA's playing conditions as compared to the law book that might have led to the matter not becoming a bigger issue, which involves "ball tampering". Even if it led to a lot of confusion both on the field and off it once the ball was changed before play this morning. The issue kicked off just before the first over of the day was about to be bowled when the visitors realised that the ball had been changed overnight. Led by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, a few of them then remonstrated to umpire Craig about the decision with a couple even inquiring why the match officials hadn't changed the ball the previous evening and instead done so overnight. And despite Craig following up his earlier comments with, "No more discussion, let's play.." a number of the India A players stuck to arguing their point as they stood around the umpire. This is before India A wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan, took it a step further when he was overheard saying, "So, we are going to play with this ball? That's a very stupid decision," well within umpire Craig's earshot. To which the official responded with, "Excuse me, you'll be on report for dissent. That's inappropriate behaviour.." followed by, "(it's) because of your actions we changed the ball." Craig then reiterated his earlier point as the players continued to stand around saying, "This is not up for discussion. Let's play." While that brought an end to the pretty testy discussion, the keeper and the rest of his players were later overheard through the stump mic again passing comments on the umpire's call on changing the ball. Cricket Australia released an official statement to clear the air around the drama. "The ball used in the fourth innings of the match was changed due to deterioration. Both teams' captain and manager were informed of the decision prior to the start of play. No further action is being taken." read the statement.

Rishabh Pant's 50-ball 53 not out has kept India in the hunt even as New Zealand head into the Lunch break on the third day of the final Test in Mumbai with their confidence of sealing a historic 3-0 sweep intact. Chasing a tricky target of 147 on a crumbling surface, India were in a mess at 29/5 inside the seventh over before Pant started his onslaught. The left-hander appeared unfazed by the situation as he continued with his unconventional methods at the crease. Ravindra Jadeja hung around for a 42-run stand but was dismissed closer to the break. Washington Sundar has also looked confident and it's this partnership that could make or break the game for the home side. The day started with Jadeja wrapping up the final wicket of Ajaz Patel to register yet another fifer in Tests. It was also the first time that the all-rounder had two fifers in the same game. It left the home side with 147 to get to avoid a series whitewash at home. New Zealand, however, got the perfect start to the innings defending the total as skipper Rohit Sharma's woes in the series continued. The opener miscued a pull from Matt Henry and it opened the floodgates for the visitors make further inroads. India's increasing vulnerability against spin once again came to the fore as Ajaz tormented them once more. Shubman Gill had a massive misjudgment when he left an arm-ball to be bowled while Ajaz dealt a big blow by getting rid of Virat Kohli who again looked out of sorts against spin. The drift and sharp turn off the track proved too much for India's batters as Kohli nicked off to slip. Yashasvi Jaiswal got an in-drifter from Glenn Phillips that skid on to trap him LBW while Sarfaraz's attempted sweep off a full-toss resulted in a top edge that went to hand. Pant, meanwhile, took on the spinners with his footwork and intent. He chanced his luck but crucially, didn't let the bowlers settle. Jadeja and Pant seemed to have settled in but that's when Will Young plucked a blinder at short leg. Sundar also offered a chance just before Lunch but Devon Conway couldn't cling on. Another 55 runs to win and four wickets left, the game is poised for a thrilling finish. Realistically, it's Pant who stands between India and New Zealand's whitewash dreams. New Zealand 235 and 174 (Will Young 51; Ravindra Jadeja 5-55, Ravichandran Ashwin 3-63) lead India 263 and 92/6 (Rishabh Pant 53*; Ajaz Patel 4-43) by 54 runs.

After conceding a lead in the opening ODI, England came back strongly in the second game, registering a five-wicket victory in Antigua to level the series. Captain Shai Hope's 117, along with half-centuries from Keacy Carty and Sherfane Rutherford, helped West Indies post a challenging total of 328/6. But skipper Liam Livingstone's unbeaten 124 off 85 balls, which included five fours and nine sixes, helped England over the line in 47.3 overs. England lost two wickets inside the first 12 overs - Will Jacks falling to a loose, short delivery from Matthew Forde and Jordan Cox top-edging a pull off Shamar Joseph - to be 63/2. Phil Salt, meanwhile, was finding the boundaries as he got to a 42-ball fifty with a four. Salt, however, fell to Forde on 59, following which a steady partnership between Jacob Bethell and Livingstone ensued, with the former getting to a 51-ball half-century. Roston Chase, who was hit for two fours and a six in an over by Bethell, eventually dismissed the batter who mistimed a loft. Sam Curran joined Livingstone and he began positively, striking a six and a four in an over off Gudakesh Motie. But West Indies did well to put the pressure back on England by cutting off the boundaries in overs 30-40, with only two fours coming in that period. England went into the last 10 overs needing to score 100, which was when Livingstone shifted to a higher gear. Livingstone was on 46 off 57 at the end of the 40th over and by the end of the 45th, he had raced to 99 off 76. Motie came under attack from Livingstone, being hit for three sixes and a four in two overs, while England also got a big 26-run over off Jayden Seales in the 45th, with Livingstone striking two sixes and two fours. Curran had also crossed fifty by then, and the pair extended their partnership to 140 when Livingstone got to a 77-ball 100 with a single. Forde accounted for Curran to bag his third wicket but Livingstone wasn't giving West Indies any chance of a comeback, hitting three sixes and a four off Joseph in the 47th over. A couple of singles in the 48th over got the job done for England who had their captain to thank for pulling off the second highest chase in the Caribbean and getting the team back in the series. Earlier, opting to bowl, England started well as John Turner struck early to dismiss Brandon King and Evin Lewis. But a well-paced 143-run stand between Hope and Carty provided West Indies a good platform to post a sizeable total. From a shaky 12/2 in the fourth over, Hope and Carty built on steadily, helping West Indies to 41/2 after 10 overs. England bowled a few tight overs and cut off the boundary opportunities, with West Indies moving slowly to 85/2 after 20. Hope and Carty then cut loose, increasing the frequency of boundaries as both batters registered fifties and raised a century stand to help West Indies past 150 by the time the 30th over was completed. Carty's outing, however, came to an end when he was bowled by Adil Rashid for 71 off 77. But Rutherford came out with a positive intent as he raced to a 35-ball fifty and contributed the bulk of the runs in his 79-run stand with Hope. Rutherford, though, fell to Livingstone in the 40th over, leaving West Indies at 235/4. The likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Chase and Forde then came up with useful 20s while their captain registered his 17th ODI hundred. Hope was dismissed in the 47th over by Archer but West Indies managed a good finish, getting 93 runs in the last 10 overs, although the total proved to be insufficient in the end. West Indies 328/6 in 50 overs (Shai Hope 117, Keacy Carty 71; Adil Rashid 2-62) lost to England 329/5 in 47.3 overs (Liam Livingstone 124*, Philip Salt 59; Matthew Forde 3-48) by 5 wickets.

Two straight drives and an edge accounted for three boundaries in the first over of the day for Rishabh Pant, off the bowling of Ajaz Patel. The spinner would go on to pick a five-fer but within moments of the start of the day, Pant had already left his stamp. He got to a 36-ball half-century with 49 of those runs coming in that first hour of play. When Ajaz corrected his lengths, Pant would get down to lap it dangerously from the stumps. This was followed by a couple of sixes down the ground and a reverse-swept boundary. In between Shubman Gill lofted Patel inside out over cover for a boundary. Between them the duo hit the lead left-arm spinner for 40 runs in his first five overs, forcing Tom Latham to opt for a bowling change. In the previous evening, when India had over a nervy 13 minutes, it had been Patel that triggered a storm. He'd plucked Yashasvi Jaiswal and nightwatchman Mohammad Siraj off successive deliveries to drag New Zealand back into the game. Heading into the second, and in the absence of Mitchell Santner, he was supposed to be New Zealand's biggest wicket-taking option. But in that critical first hour, India had managed to put off his threat for later in the day, even though Patel himself felt that he had not bowled badly in that phase. "I guess this morning I felt like I bowled really well, but Rishabh batted exceptionally, obviously he's been phenomenal throughout this tour and he's kind of the player that's kind of put pressure back on us, regardless of the situation. "And so like I said earlier, it's about keeping things simple, it's about controlling what you can control. If you put the ball in good areas and they play a good shot, that's out of your control, so for me it was just trusting that," confessed Patel at the end of the day. If Pant was all about putting the spinners off their lengths, his partner Gill was more measured in approach. The two had a lot of fun recently when they for the first time in Test cricket in a 167-run stand. Gill had even joked then that he was worried about how Pant's insistence on tapping the bat twice mid-crease could damage his bat. There, India were well ahead and batting was about cashing in. Here, the pressure was on the young duo and each man offered contrasting methods of reacting to it. If Pant was all about delivering knockout jabs, Gill preferred to weave and stab, take a few blows perhaps but all the while focused and just trying to stay in the ring. So he didn't mind being beaten by the ripping turn that Patel would sometimes get. He'd put them back and go back to doing what he had worked on. 2024 has already been Gill's best year in Test cricket. He averages over 50 so far. But it hasn't been a smooth ride all through. Having missed the Bengaluru Test, he came into Pune only to be undone by Mitchell Santner's left-arm spin in both innings. Gill has a reputation of having an insatiable appetite to just bat and bat in the nets. He admitted now that he didn't have enough time to prepare before the Pune Test. "See, I didn't really get that much time because I was injured in the first Test. Even leading up to these Tests, I didn't really practice that much because of the injury. So, I didn't get that much time in the nets before the Pune Test match. I got two net sessions and I am the kind of person, I like to have long practice sessions so that I feel confident about it," he said. BJ8nAZ3GRb0 In Mumbai, India had two full-blown practice sessions which Gill partook in. A day ahead of the Test, in particular, stood out. For after doing his routine batting set, Gill took aside a set of club bowlers that the Mumbai Cricket Association had provided to have a separate session. They were all left-arm spinners, with Yashasvi Jaiswal's legspin being the odd one out. The intent had been to defend the ball well. In Pune, twice he was out on the defence against Santner. Only once before in this year, had he been pinned down in such fashion - vs Tom Hartley in Hyderabad. Since that first Test against England, until Pune, Gill had overcome the left-arm spin challenge rather adeptly. Here too he began to bring his bat in front of the pad with some more confidence and trusted his defence. He'd go on to fall to that type of a ball eventually, when Ajaz slowed his pace to below 80kph, but by and large Gill was able to see through the biggest threat for a right-hander on this pitch to get to 90. "It's one of the better knocks I have played in Test cricket. Leading up to this Test match, it was all about me working on the areas that I have worked on before. In the England series that we played, I think when I was batting in that series, I was batting at my best against spinners. So just to be able to go back into that mindset and what my positions were while playing spinners then. That's what I was trying to replicate before this match," Gill revealed at the end of the day. There had been nerves when he started the innings. The first ball he faced yesterday from Ajaz had been an inside edge onto his pad. There had been another edge that lobbed past slip before he unleashed a couple of sweeps. "Yesterday I played sweeps and I took those fielders out at the places where I would get easy singles. For me, it's all about having those shots but playing them when I know it's absolutely necessary." Today Pant had made sure that his partner did not have to battle with those nerves for long at the start of play. By accident or design, the duo got to exactly what they wanted and India wouldn't mind the different means as long as it leads to an end like today's.

'Jigra Dikhaya' (showed a lot of heart) remarked captain Monank Patel after Utkarsh Srivastava's outstanding innings of 67 off 62 on ODI debut at the tender age of 17. Cutting a diminutive figure on the field, Srivastava faced a tall order of chasing 218 runs off 190 deliveries after being sent in at the fall of the fourth wicket. His juvenile grit kept USA in the hunt in the daunting ask of 318 but you could almost sense the undertones in Monank's remark. Srivastava has had a rather stormy introduction to international cricket. His selection had tongues wagging after a range of other high profile names were overlooked in the pecking order. He walked into a fractious dressing room that had a few senior players and the head coach at loggerheads. Apart from a couple of filler T20I appearances, he warmed the bench for 19 white ball games spread over three tours. Srivastava's valiant little innings was a stamp on his character and mental fortitude more than his skill which undoubtedly transcends his age. He crossed the landmark in fine fashion, a swivelling pull shot with a hint of Caribbean flair that would've made his childhood coach and all time West Indian great Alvin Kallicharan proud of. The landmark sparked off exulted celebration from Srivastava where he was seen fist pumping his bat in a moment of self vindication. "I wasn't expecting that ball to go for six, I was just trying to place it between fine leg and square leg. But I think I timed it so well that it actually went. So I was just really hyped, because for three tours I haven't got a chance. And then, for the first time, I got a chance, and I proved myself. So that's why I did an aggressive bat celebration where I just felt like it needed to be done. Because I was very eagerly waiting for that moment, and it finally happened. I was just very thankful that it happened" said Srivastava to Cricbuzz. Life has been racing in overdrive since January for the Pune born Srivastava. He was picked for the U19 World Cup at the start of the year. He left an impression in the game against India with a plucky knock of 40. Unlike most of his peers, he looked at relative ease countering a quality attack that he wasn't exposed to hitherto. That further stimulated his entry into adult cricket. He was subsequently named in the South Zone squad for the national T20 in March. In his only appearance of the tournament, Srivastava sizzled with an unbeaten 24 off seven deliveries, including three sixes off four deliveries in an over. "After the U19 World Cup, I understood how the level is, because I've never seen that type of level before. I've never seen that quality before. So the first time my eyes got open, like seeing that level, seeing that pace, that spin quality. So after I came back from the World Cup, the preparation, even though it was slightly similar, I understood what specific things I needed to work on, what specific areas these guys will target when I go to higher levels, I'm a short batsman, they'll pull a lot more short balls at me, and spinners will bowl a lot more faster and consistent lengths. So those things I figured out, so I just had to battle it. Srivastava was right to make those quick inferences about his game. His diminutive figure, did prompt a barrage of short balls from Scotland from the get go. But he was upto the task. He foiled those plans by smoking a couple to the mid-wicket fence. "I set up for the short one, because I know they're gonna bowl short ones at me. I'm short. And so Jarvis, he was bowling back of the length the whole game to all the players, but no one was pulling him. They were waiting for the full ones and driving. So I'm short, so that back of the length basically becomes short to me. And another thing that was very satisfying for me was that I barely played any dot ball. I rotated strike very well that game, so it was something that I was happy with." Srivastava did not allow the off the field turmoil around him or his lack of game time to stagnate his batting. On the long tour of Namibia, he would spend his off days training in an indoor facility close to the hotel. "I went there seven or eight times on our off days. There was a guy who fed the machine. I used to pay him, like USD 20 and he used to feed me balls on the bowling machine. And I did that a lot. In Dallas as well, I've gone on off days and trained with my U19 friends" While there was never the question about the promise Srivastava held with the bat, there has been constant chatter about how he may have been parachuted in the team ahead of some senior players who have been ahead of the pecking order through their performances in the MLC and Minor league. Srivastava admits to battling inner demons in overcoming those inhibitions that have been consistent since his arrival on the scene. "Every single tour that is something that I've always been a little itchy about, a little bit nervous about that. There's always someone else who can always replace me. And a lot of people talk, a lot of people have said that I might be too young, so that thing has always been, like a constant fear to me but wouldn't say a threat. But obviously back of the mind it's always there. It's been there for the whole three tours. I think I needed to earn the respect of everyone. but I think I needed an innings like this"

Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney flipped the game against India A around on its head on a decisive third day's play at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. India A began on 208/2, but could add only 104 more runs before being bundled out. In chase of 225, Australia A finished the day at 139/3. Sai Sudharsan's red-ball stocks continued to rise as he carried forward his previous evening's efforts to compile a fine century in the morning session. But he and Devdutt Padikkal (88) - the other overnight batter - fell early in the space of two overs to pave the way for Australia A to run through. Ishan Kishan fought back briefly but didn't have company at the other end to push India A's lead. The visitors went from 229/4 at Padikkal's exit to 297/9 as the lower-order crumbled. Medium-pacer Fergus O'Neill (4/55) and off-spinner Todd Murphy (3/77) accounted for seven wickets. Australia A's top-three flattered to deceive again as Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar picked a wicket each. But captain McSweeney, who has received Ricky Ponting's endorsement to open for the senior side with Usman Khawaja at the start of the Australian summer, led his team's chase with an unbeaten 47. Each of the top-three - Sam Konstas, Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft, who are also in the running to take the spot left vacant by David Warner, got starts but only McSweeney was able to keep going and finish undefeated - on 47 - at stumps. He and Beau Webster took the side to within 86 runs of the target. India A 107 & 312 (Sai Sudharsan 103, Devdutt Padikkal 88; Fergus O'Neill 4-55, Todd Murphy 3-77) lead Australia A 195 & 139/3 (Nathan McSweeney 47*, Marcus Harris 36; Prasidh Krishna 1-17) by 85 runs

Ravindra Jadeja (4-52) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3-63) weaved their magic to give India a slender advantage on the second day of the final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai. At Stumps, New Zealand were 171 for 9 with a lead of 143. It could still be a fighting total on a crumbling surface but for now, India will believe that they are marginally in front. For the second straight day, bowlers called the shots as 15 wickets fell, one more than the number on the opening day with Ajaz Patel (5-103) being the star in the first half of the day. The final session started with New Zealand shakily placed at 26 for 1. With the surface getting increasingly difficult to bat, every run was bound to be paramount. Will Young (51) continued to impress for the tourists with a battling fifty but he didn't get the desired support from the other end. Daryl Mitchell (21) and Devon Conway (22) both got starts but weren't able to kick on. It also didn't help that the surface had started to play extravagant tricks from the spinners and Conway fell to a fizzing off break that just took off after pitching to find the edge. While that dismissal was unfortunate on the batter, Rachin Ravindra's dismissal was inexplicable as he stepped out for a wild slog against a sharp spinning off break, only to be stumped by a country mile. Young watched all this at the other end, even as he got into his work with appreciable dexterity. Mitchell combined for a 50-run stand with him and it was the best period of the day for New Zealand in their batting performance. It seemed like the game was starting to slip away from India before Jadeja struck. Mitchell's intent to keep the scoreboard rapidly ticking got the better of him as he miscued a loft, taken brilliantly by Ashwin at mid-on. On these kind of pitches, one wicket generally brings two or more and that was the case for the second day in a row. Tom Blundell's horror series continued as he got cleaned up by Jadeja. In came Glenn Phillips (26) whose only plan was to take the bowling on. With the pitch being as it is, the idea wasn't bad as runs were at a premium. Phillips struck three sixes and a four in his 14-ball 26 before being castled by Ashwin's carrom ball. Jadeja was at his menacing best as he sliced through the New Zealand lower order with pinpoint accuracy. Matt Henry and Ajaz Patel hit a six apiece to add some useful runs before the former became Jadeja's fourth wicket at the fag end of the day. New Zealand finished the day, having lost a bit of momentum but as seen already, batting last could be a very dicey affair, which means that the lead of 143 that New Zealand have right now, could be a tricky chase. The visitors will want to scrap a bit more to stretch the total past 150-155 if they can. Despite the strong bowling performance, India will rue that their batting unit saw another collapse in the series. Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) counterpunched for a brilliant 96-run stand but apart from the duo's efforts, India's batting cut a sorry figure. After having endured a disappointing couple of Tests, Ajaz found his mojo with a relentless spell of spin bowling as he utilised the conditions to optimum effect. Ish Sodhi and Phillips gave him good support with the former striking the big blow of Pant just when the partnership was beginning to take the game completely away from the visitors. One of India's strong points at home over the last decade or so has been the lower order rearguard that has seen them seal games aplenty. This series, however, that hasn't been the case at all. Ashwin and Jadeja were unable to click with the bat as Gill ran out of partners before perishing himself to Ajaz's guile. If not for a powerful cameo from Washington Sundar (38*), India may have struggled to take the first innings lead. The home side then bowled well for most parts to ensure that they had their noses in front by the end of the day, even if the margin of dominance is negligible. New Zealand 235 and 171/9 (Will Young 51; Ravindra Jadeja 4-52, Ravichandran Ashwin 3-63) lead India 263 (Shubman Gill 90, Rishabh Pant 60; Ajaz Patel 5-103) by 143 runs

Leaving behind their recent disappointing performance, Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy has urged his teammates to stay in the 'present' as they begin preparations for next year's Champions Trophy 2025 with the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Bangladesh will play three more ODIs against West Indies following the three matches against Afghanistan, scheduled in UAE on November 6, 9 and 11 to conclude their preparation for the Champions Trophy. Bangladesh head into the nearly 50-day tour to play Afghanistan and West Indies where they are set to play two Tests and three T20Is alongwith the ODIs after series defeats to India (in two Tests and three T20Is), followed by home defeat to South Africa in two Tests. "I think every cricketer is professional here and there is no point thinking about the past. I think it will be good if we proceed match by match whether it is one match or a tournament. What we have done recently we cannot think about it and personally I feel how we want to start the next day is important and I want to stay in the present," Hridoy told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium before heading to UAE on Saturday. "It is normal that people have high expectations but every cricketer does not play well in every match," he said. "We play well in this format for most of the time and we want to start well (against Afghanistan as far as preparation for the Champions Trophy is concerned) and if we can play to our potential we hope to achieve something good," he said. Hridoy also expressed his willingness to play anywhere in the batting order, depending on the needs of the team. The right-hander might be promoted up in the order in the absence of Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan. "I don't want to talk about my [position in the] batting order and I have said this before that it is a matter of the team and from my side I am ready to bat anywhere. At the end of the day it's a team game and team is the biggest priority," Hridoy said. "The batting order is set as per requirement of the team and what would be good in that situation. Because they are not there (Litton and Shakib), the batting order certainly can change," he said. "I haven't played there (in Sharjah) and it will be my first series there. I don't think it will be tough for us because every cricketer played there and everyone has knowledge about the condition. I feel the condition will be the same (like here)," he said. "Their (Afghanistan's) major strength lies in their bowling especially their spinners and we know it and if you want to perform in international cricket you need to take up this challenge. We will plan according to our opponent and will try to handle them," he said, adding that he does not feel his off-side game is lacking. "I don't think I am lacking in that area (off-side game). When players from other countries score runs through one area there is no lacking, but if we score runs through one area there is lacking," he said.

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