Latham said Rohit Sharma’s team is not going to become a bad team overnight and expected them to bounce back in the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
New Zealand skipper Tom Latham threw his weight behind a struggling Indian team despite whitewashing them in a three-match Test series. Latham said Rohit Sharma’s team did not become a bad team overnight and expected them to bounce back with a much better performance in the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia starting on November 22.
Latham became the first visiting captain to sweep India in a home series of at least three Tests. This was also India’s first series defeat at home in 12 years and New Zealand’s first Test series win in India in over 70 years. The magnitude of Latham’s side’s achievement requires a bit more elaboration. Before this series, New Zealand had beaten India only twice in 70 years and never came near winning a series.
“Indian cricket, in general, is really special. We have played against them a lot. The guys play with them at the IPL. They were gracious in defeat and are still a quality side,” Latham said after landing in Wellington from India.
The Indian team’s failure to put up a decent batting display was criticized throughout the Test series. Barring the second innings of the Pune Test, where Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant stitched a record partnership, the Indian team could not cross the 300-run mark even once in the other five innings.
