Shell-shocked India faces sarcastic sledge from New Zealand wicketkeeper amid 3-0 threat

In a stunning turn of events, the New Zealand cricket team has left India reeling after back-to-back defeats in their ongoing Test series. Under Tom Latham's captaincy, New Zealand now stands just one win away from a historic 3-0 sweep in India – a feat no foreign team has achieved in nearly a quarter-century. The visitors’ dominance has not only shocked fans but also elicited a wry response from New Zealand's wicketkeeper-batter, Tom Blundell, who took a playful dig at the Indian team’s high expectations.

After their recent series loss to Sri Lanka, India entered this series brimming with confidence, going as far as broadcasting an ambitious “five-nil” slogan on national television. Tom Blundell addressed India’s early expectations in a lighthearted manner, suggesting that the home side’s “overconfidence” was starkly countered by New Zealand's skilful performances on Indian soil. 

Reflecting on how the tour unfolded, Blundell told SENZ Mornings, “They’re a little bit shell-shocked. When we first came over, I think they had a slogan on TV saying five-nil for their home summer. I’m pretty sure they wrote us off.” Blundell emphasized that this victory marks a turning point for the BlackCaps, whose strategic gameplay successfully dismantled India's 4331-day unbeaten streak in a home Test series.

“I think they’re pretty shocked”, says Blundell

The Kiwi wicketkeeper also underlined how India’s loss reflects their misjudgment of New Zealand’s capabilities. Praising his team’s efforts, Blundell added, “I think they’re pretty shocked in terms of what we’ve achieved... we’ve competed and played some really good cricket to beat these guys – one of the best teams in the world.”

The losses not only pose a major setback for India’s ambitions but also put a question mark on their qualification for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which now requires them to secure four out of six remaining victories. In Blundell’s words, the WTC served as a significant motivator for the team, adding, “You’ve got the World Test Championship still on the line... India is probably hurting from this. But regardless of the result, we can go home with a pretty big smile on our faces. What we’ve achieved here is pretty immense.”