Team India (IND) succumbed to the run-chase pressure amid questions about their defensive technique and approach in the third and final Test of the series against New Zealand (NZ), on Sunday, November 3. Notably, the final Test was played at the renowned Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai.
As a result, the dark horses aka the Blackcaps did the unthinkable, not just beating India in their backyard but also completing a clean sweep over (3-0) them with impeccable dominance. This meant that after Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma became only the second Indian Captain to have this unwanted record under his belt. However, amid all the negative aspects of a game, Team India also found some positives for them ahead of the much-awaited tour of Australia.
The star Indian wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant, showed his counterattacking yet natural batting and took the New Zealand bowlers to the cleaners along with scoring runs for his side quite briskly. Courtesy of his brilliant fifties in both the innings of the Test, the home side was always in the hunt despite losing quick wickets. Interestingly, not only did Pant try to get India closer to the target (147 runs) but he also got himself enlisted into an elite list of batters for their incredible six-hitting ability.
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During his fifty (64 off 57 balls) knock, Rishabh Pant hit nine fours and a six, respectively. But his sole six essentially meant that it was his 50th six for India in the World Test Championship (WTC) history. As a result, he became the third batter to have smoked most sixes in the WTC. Only two batters have more sixes in the championship so far. India Captain Rohit Sharma (56) is in the second spot while England’s Test Skipper Ben Stokes (81) currently leads the six-fest tally.
Impact of India’s whitewash defeat on their WTC standings
Speaking of Team India’s third defeat in the Test series, the loss has hit the team hard. The key reason for that is with the upcoming tour down under, the Indian camp will have to play some exceptional cricket to fancy their chances of qualifying for the WTC Final. Due to a clean sweep against New Zealand, the Indian Lions have slipped to number two as per the WTC points table while Australia has climbed up to take the top spot.
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At this moment, the chances seem quite bleak given the fact that they will need to win at least four Tests in the five-game Border Gavaskar (BGT 2024-25) Test series. Moreover, they will also have to see that they do not incur a draw to keep them ahead of other teams in the hunt for a final berth as recent wins of South Africa have made the competition way stiffer.
Batters with the most sixes in WTC history
| Player Name | Country | Number of Sixes Hit |
| Ben Stokes | England | 81 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 56 |
| Rishabh Pant | India | 50 |