Gary Stead rubs salt on India's wounds with 'Greatest achievement' claim on New Zealand's historic 3-0 win

Former New Zealand coach Gary Stead has recalled a historic 3-0 sweep in the Test series against India in challenging subcontinent conditions. Stead, who guided the Black Caps to victory in the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final, described the series victory as the greatest achievement of his tenure.

In October-November 2024, New Zealand became the first team to whitewash the Men in Blue in a Test series of three or more matches in India. They ended India’s unbeaten home streak since 2012. India then lost the BGT 2024-25 series in Australia and are now on the verge of a series defeat in England.

Gary Stead Calls Historic Test Series Win in India The Greatest Achievement of My Time

Gary Stead stated that winning a few tosses worked in their favor during the Test series win in India. He added that his bowlers maintained relentless pressure on the Indian side, calling the series triumph the greatest achievement of his coaching career.

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"We won a couple of tosses, which helped. We got probably the best of the conditions. Though they were never that easy,” Stead was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

"I thought we bowled really well, just to keep applying pressure and keep the heat on the Indian players. They're obviously tough to beat over there, their record shows that. For me, it's probably the greatest achievement of my time from a results point of view that we had," he added.

Gary Stead Recalls Bengaluru Test as Turning Point in Series

Stead admitted that losing the toss in the first Test in Bengaluru turned out to be an advantage, as India were bowled out for just 46 on a green surface. He stated that Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke made the most of the conditions, and the batters gained the upper hand once the pitch settled.

“We lost the toss in the first Test, which was a blessing in disguise because we would have batted as well,” Stead said.

“It did feel just a little bit damp on top, but it just took one session to put us right on the front foot. The way Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke bowled that day was fantastic. And then we just went about our play."

“That first Test in Bangalore was a little bit different because the wicket was pretty good. While it nipped early, it did flatten out, and we probably got the best of the batting conditions there."

Gary Stead Credits Sri Lanka Experience for Historic Success in India

New Zealand’s spinners outperformed India even on spin-friendly pitches in Pune and Mumbai. The Black Caps also outperformed the hosts in batting and fielding.

Gary Stead credited their experience in Sri Lanka for preparing the team to adapt to subcontinental conditions. He said their strategies played a crucial role in their historic clean sweep.

“I guess we looked at it and thought, you win one Test in India, it’s as good as what most teams do over there at times. But then we really shifted our attention to Pune and that was a very, very different-looking wicket. We knew it would spin from the very start."

"But that and then the game in Mumbai is where I think the lessons from Sri Lanka really gave us the opportunity just to be really clear on the way we wanted to play."

New Zealand's spinners made a significant impact during the series in India. Mitchell Santner took 13 wickets in a single Test in Pune, while Ajaz Patel picked up 11 wickets in Mumbai. Glenn Phillips also contributed with eight important dismissals in the series.

Also read: Joe Root rewrites history books: Full list of records from his iconic 39th Test ton at The Oval