"So many infamous records have already been created in Gautam Gambhir's tenure" - Aakash Chopra says India wouldn't want 0-3 loss in IND vs NZ series
Aakash Chopra has noted that India wouldn't want to lose the third Test against New Zealand. He pointed out that India have never lost a home Test series 0-3 and wouldn't want to create another infamous record in Gautam Gambhir's short tenure as head coach thus far.
India are 0-2 down in the three-match series, having suffered crushing defeats in the first two Tests in Bengaluru and Pune, respectively. The final Test will be played in Mumbai from Friday, November 1, onwards.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that the Mumbai Test isn't inconsequential for multiple reasons.
"It's not a dead rubber. There are two things in this. Firstly, never have we ever lost a three-match home series 3-0. We were whitewashed once in a two-match series but it has never happened in a three-match series. We are on the threshold of that record as well. Don't break it," he reasoned (4:45).
"Please win this match because WTC points are also involved. You will get 33% points (for the series) if you win this match. So many infamous records have already been created in Gautam Gambhir's tenure. Then you say you don't want to break any more records," Chopra added.
In August, India lost an ODI series against Sri Lanka for the first time in 27 years in Gambhir's first 50-over assignment as head coach. Although Rohit Sharma and company thrashed Bangladesh 2-0 in a recent Test series, they are 0-2 behind against the Kiwis, India's first home series defeat in 12 years.
"New Zealand are saying they don't have any tension" - Aakash Chopra on Kane Williamson missing 3rd Test
![Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the third Test against India. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/a1602-17302628212276-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Kane Williamson's unavailability for the third Test might not worry New Zealand.
"No Kane, no gain. Is that true? I don't know, because New Zealand are saying they don't have any tension. Let's be honest, if you see this team, it hurts as to what we are doing. Tom Latham was batting well in the last innings. He was struggling apart from that. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra are playing well. Who apart from these three is looking very confident or assured?" he said (3:40).
The former India opener pointed out that the hosts haven't been able to take advantage of the issues in the visitors' batting department.
"Will Young scores a few runs but not dominating. Glenn Phillips doesn't look comfortable at all. Daryl Mitchell also looks very uncomfortable. Tom Blundell seemed like a walking wicket till the last innings. However, we have still lost two matches. If Kane had been there, we would have been slightly more worried, but how much more worried could we have been?" Chopra observed.
Rachin Ravindra (247) and Devon Conway (201) are the only New Zealand batters to aggregate more than 125 runs in the first two Tests. Will Young (122) and Tom Latham (116) are the other Kiwi batters to reach the 100-run mark.