NEW DELHI: New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel led a historic 3-0 Test series win against India, picking up six crucial wickets in the third Test to secure a thrilling 25-run win on Sunday. Chasing 147 to avoid a whitewash, India faltered and were bowled out for 121 in just 29.1 overs on the third day at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
Despite Rishabh Pant's fighting 64, the Indian line-up collapsed under pressure.
Ajaz took the final wicket, dismissing Washington Sundar for 12, sparking wild celebrations as New Zealand celebrated their first-ever Test series win on Indian soil. This clean sweep represents a historic achievement as it is the first time India have suffered a 3-0 defeat at home.
The last home series India suffered was against South Africa, a 2-0 defeat in the 1999-2000 season.
Mumbai-born Ajaz finished the game with an impressive 11-wicket haul, continuing his legacy at Wankhede where he famously took all 10 wickets in an innings in 2021.

After the defeat, Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed his disappointment and conceded the 3-0 defeat.

“As a captain, I was not at my best, both in leading the team and in handling the bat,” said a disappointed Rohit.

“Losing a series, a Test match, is never easy… something not easy to digest. We didn't play our best cricket, New Zealand played better throughout the series. We made a lot of mistakes. The first two.’ We didn’t score enough runs in the first innings and the target was trackable. When you have a goal like that, you want runs on the board “That was in my mind and if it doesn't happen, it won't materialize,” Rohit said after the game.

“I go forward with certain plans and they didn't come to fruition in this series. We didn't play our best cricket in these conditions and we're stuck with the result. Pant, Gill, Washington have shown how to bat on these surfaces. You have to.” “Be proactive, we’ve been playing on pitches like this for the last three to four years. It was an unfortunate series where we tried certain things that we couldn't do as a unit,” the Indian captain said.