BCCI conducted ‘6-hour review meeting’ to dissect New Zealand loss: Reports

Known for being invincible and setting unbreakable records at home, Team India suffered a shocking humiliation at the hands of New Zealand earlier this month, losing the three-match series 0-3 to become the first Indian side in history to get whitewashed in a bilateral series at home (3+ Tests). 

India entered the New Zealand Tests having not lost a single series at home in 12 years, but everything came crashing down across the three Tests, as they were outplayed and embarrassed by a thoroughly professional Kiwi unit.

READ: Every unwanted record India set in 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand

The home whitewash has also now jeopardised the side’s chances of making it to the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

On the back of the horror defeat, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar posted on social media that a home whitewash ‘called for introspection’. It’s now believed that the BCCI conducted a six-hour review meeting to dissect the defeat, with skipper Rohit Sharma being part of the discussion.

"A six-hour marathon meeting was held. It was obviously on the cards after such a debacle. India are going on a tour of Australia, and the BCCI would obviously like to ensure that the team is back on track and would like to know how the think-tank (Gambhir-Rohit-Agarkar) are going about it," a senior BCCI official told PTI.

It’s believed that one of the points of discussion in the meeting was the ‘rest’ provided to Jasprit Bumrah in the third Test at the Wankhede. The official communication from the BCCI was that Bumrah missed out because he hadn’t recovered from a ‘viral illness’, but the ace speedster was said to have been rested to manage his workload.

"It appears the selectors weren't informed about Bumrah's sudden exit before the Test," a BCCI source told TOI.

“And this communication gap was highlighted to BCCI leadership. There must be better communication all around. All must be on the same page.”

The ‘Gambhir era’ has not gotten off to the greatest of starts. After losing a bilateral ODI series to Sri Lanka for the first time this century, India suffered a one-of-a-kind humiliation against the Kiwis.

The management will come under serious pressure if the side does not fare well in the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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