“لقد أصيبوا بصدمة شديدة” – توم بلونديل يتحدث عن خسارة الهند لسلسلة الاختبارات المنزلية الأولى منذ 12 عامًا

Tom Blundell, New Zealand’s wicketkeeper, feels the Indian cricket team underestimated them. One can understand that Team India had beaten Bangladesh 2-0 a couple of weeks ago, and the Kiwis were hammered by Sri Lanka as well. No one, perhaps even in New Zealand’s camp, thought they would win the series and break India’s streak of remaining undefeated at home in the last 18 Test series.

Having already won the series 2-0 before heading to the final match in Mumbai, Blundell feels that Team India were taking them lightly. It’s a common mistake that teams make, but when you haven’t lost in 12 years, that’s bound to happen a little. It can be seen as overconfidence or self-belief. Either way, whatever transpired wasn’t something Team India expected.

“When we first came over, I think they had a slogan on TV saying five-nil for their home summer or something along those lines,” Blundell told SENZ Mornings before the India vs New Zealand 3rd Test.

“I’m pretty sure they wrote us off coming after Sri Lanka. But I think they’re pretty shocked in terms of what we’ve achieved and how we’ve come out and competed and played some really good cricket to beat these guys—one of the best teams in the world. I think they’re a little bit shell-shocked in terms of what has happened,” the keeper added.