How Pant's failed attempt to restore the Gabba heroics resulted in India suffering a historical whitewash

Mumbai (India): From the sight of Rishabh Pant almost recreating a famous Gabba raid on home soil to Ajaz Patel etching New Zealand's name into the history books, it was a mouth-watering spectacle of Test cricket at the highest level.

When the odds were stacked against New Zealand, Ajaz Patel, who had always found solace in Mumbai, his birthplace, proved to be the deciding factor between India's success and ruin.

On a sweltering day in Mumbai, when Rohit Sharma's blitzkrieg faltered, Shubman Gill couldn't read the statement and Virat Kohli somehow transferred it to Daryl Mitchell, the Indian team was left with the need for self-reflection.

After 12 years, India suffered defeat in a home Test series only once, in 2000, after the 25-run defeat against the Kiwis.

India's strong anti-spin skills marked the first time New Zealand had won three Tests in a series, home or away, and the first three ever in which the country won three away Tests in a row.

The last time India suffered such humiliation was against a South African team led by Hansie Cronje. India lost both games in the two-match series.

On the third day, as Wankhede fell silent and heads bowed in the Indian camp, Rishabh Pant became a beacon of hope, rekindling the spark of a fighting spirit that had slowly dried up.

With a barrage of swings and its variations, shrouded in a veil of happiness, the glimpse of India's famous Gabba victory began to reverberate in Wankhede.

As Pant unleashed his wrath on the spinners and Ravindra Jadeja perfectly played second fiddle to the flamboyant batsman, one of the most elite heists in the history of Test cricket emerged.

Even after Jadeja gave Will Young the win, India's victory was assured until Pant remained at the crease.

But the story was not what the hosts expected. Pant, who certainly understood the way the bounce and turn was done, failed with his shot against Patel's sharp turn.

New Zealand requested a catch but the on-field umpire refused. Tom Latham, in a moment of desperation, decided to rely on his last review and asked for the decision to be made upwards.

Ultra Edge showed a spike when the racket hit its pad, but there was also a spike when the ball was close to the racket and there was no gap in the rep.

The third umpire decided to overturn the decision and Pant was left dejected.

The desperation in Pant's body language was visible after he banged on the door on the way to the locker room.

The rest of the story was a collective batting failure by the Indian team, which had been a constant theme throughout the series.

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