“I don't think that in my coaching tenure, I can ever forget that” - Gautam Gambhir opens up on 0-3 whitewash to New Zealand at home

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has opened up on the 0-3 whitewash to New Zealand in late 2024 at home. Speaking exclusively to Star Sports, Gambhir revealed that everyone in the dressing room felt that they would beat New Zealand quite comfortably in the three-match series.

While Team India started the three-match series with an eight-wicket defeat in Bengaluru, they later suffered a 113-run defeat in Pune. In the third and final Test of the series, they suffered a 25-run narrow defeat in Mumbai.

“If I am being honest, and speak from the heart, I don't think that in my coaching tenure, I can ever forget that, and I should not forget that. I have told this to the boys as well, it is important to look forward, but sometimes it is also important to remember the past as well. Everyone thought that we would roll over New Zealand. In that dressing room, we need to keep reminding that New Zealand happened,” Gambhir told Star Sports. 

Interestingly, this was the first time Team India failed to win a Test series at home since losing to South Africa 0-2 in 2000. Unfortunately, after this series defeat, India failed to make it to the WTC Final, losing the top two spot. 

Moreover, the loss to New Zealand in Mumbai was the last home international game for players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravi Ashwin. While Ashwin retired from international cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Kohli & Rohit retired from Test cricket a few months later.

However, Kohli and Rohit would make a comeback to international cricket in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia Down Under, starting on October 19, in Perth.

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