 "Team India players asked to attend practice on Diwali after rare Tests series loss at home")
A day after their 12-year unbeaten run in home Test assignments came to an end with a 113-run defeat at the hands of New Zealand in Pune , the Indian team management has made it compulsory for players to attend an optional practice session in Mumbai ahead of the third and final Test. According to The Indian Express, players have been asked to attend both practice sessions at the Wankhede Stadium before the third Test gets underway this Thursday.
Read | How New Zealand forced India out of their comfort zone to script a historic Test series win
“The team management has asked the players to be present for two days of practice on October 30 and 31. It’s compulsory and no one can skip it,” a source was quoted as telling the newspaper.
The latest directive from the team management thus denies players, especially those from the ‘Maximum City’, the chance to celebrate Diwali with their families.
The team management would earlier allow some players to skip practice on the eve of a Test in order to keep them fresh for the match.
However, back-to-back defeats against New Zealand, the team that had suffered a 0-2 sweep in Sri Lanka last month, in Bengaluru and Pune has forced the Gautam Gambhir-coached side to make some stern decisions.
Read | Rohit Sharma refuses to criticise his players publicly after Test series loss
The Rohit Sharma-led hosts conceded an unassailable 2-0 lead to the Black Caps on Saturday after getting bowled out for 245 while chasing a target of 359, resulting in their first Test series defeat at home since 2012-13.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThis was after they suffered an eight-wicket hammering against the Tom Latham-led Kiwis at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the hosts had been bowled for a shocking 46 in the first innings after opting to bat in overcast conditions.
New Zealand had won just two Tests in India since their first visit in 1955, and ended up winning as many in a space of 10 days to secure a historic maiden series win on Indian soil, becoming only the sixth team do achieve the feat that has become rare since 2000.
Read | Records made by Indian cricket team in the invincible era
India, however, can still salvage valuable ICC World Test Championship points and boost their chances of featuring in a third consecutive final next summer. With a tough five-Test series in Australia up next, the two-time WTC runners-up will be hoping to make it 2-1 against New Zealand in Mumbai.
That will leave them needing at least three wins Down Under to secure automatic qualification for the WTC final that takes place at Lord’s next June.
India can even remain in contention for the final even if they win just two of their remaining six matches in the WTC cycle, but will then be dependent on other results to finish among the top two.
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