Even in their wildest imagination, the harshest critics of the Indian team would not have expected them to be whitewashed 3-0 at home. And that too by an out-of-form New Zealand team missing their main batsman and fresh from a 2-0 defeat in Sri Lanka.
After all, India had been unbeaten in Tests at home in 12 years and on the verge of qualifying for the World Test Championship final next year, for the third straight time.
However, in a matter of three weeks, Indian cricket was turned upside down as a spirited New Zealand team pulled off the most remarkable result in modern cricket - a Test series sweep in India.
New Zealand could sense victory on Sunday even though they started the day on 171-9 in their second innings with a lead of just 143 runs in the third Test in Mumbai. Their confidence stemmed from India's hopelessly out of form batting and the extravagant help spinners were getting from the Wankhede pitch.
India quickly wrapped up the innings in the morning session and received a target of 147. On any other occasion, it would have been advantage India. But not this time. Not this team.
The Black Caps knew India's top order could be tied down against spin and their belief was justified within the first hour of the chase.
Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel ripped through the top order as India were reduced to 29-5. Sarfaraz Khan smashed a full toss straight to deep mid-wicket, underscoring how out of touch and down on luck India's batting is.
Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant counter-attacked with a sensational 64 from just 57 balls on a raging turner, advancing down the pitch with the ball turning square. But he was fighting a lone battle.
With the reliable Washington Sundar giving him company, Pant raced past 50 before losing his wicket to the impressive Patel in controversial circumstances.
Pant kicked the ball away before wicketkeeper Tom Blundell appealed for a bat pad, which was not upheld by the on field umpire. Upon review, the third umpire overturned the decision even though there were only inconclusive readings on UltraEdge.
Patel had his 10th wicket of the match and New Zealand were well on their way to victory - without star batsman Kane Williamson and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner who had picked up 13 wickets in the previous Test.
Patel snared the last wicket of Sundar to finish with 6-57 as India were bowled out for 121, losing the Test by 25 runs.
It was the first time India had been whitewashed in a Test series at home since South Africa's 2-0 win in 2000 and their first-ever 3-0 defeat at home.
Following the defeat, captain Sharma admitted that the team failed as a unit and that he too had a poor series as captain.
"We didn't play our best cricket, we know and we have to accept it," Sharma said.
"The target was achievable as well, all we had to do was a bit application which we failed to do. There are certain ideas, certain plans on my mind when I go to bat, but in this series, it didn't come off and that's disappointing for me.
"From a personal point of view, I wasn't at my best with both bat and as a captain. I was not at my best as captain in leading the team as well as with the bat. Collectively as a unit we failed to perform."
End of the road?
The series defeat has not only all but ended India's hopes of qualifying for the WTC final, it should also expedite the exits of some of the biggest stars of Indian cricket.
India now need to win four out of five Tests in the next series in Australia to have any chance of qualifying for the Lord's final next year. Given the state of affairs, India would do well to avoid losing four of the five matches.
If India suffer more ignominy in Australia, it is almost certain that the Test team will move on from some or all stalwarts in the side sooner rather than later. Captain Sharma seems front of the line, after a horrendous three Tests where he seemed clueless against pace and spin, attacking from the start irrespective of the situation. His captaincy seemed just as bad, making wrong selection and toss calls in the first Test, and employing conservative fields in the last two games.
Virat Kohli struggled as much during the series, with just one fifty and even a needless run out close to stumps on the opening day of the third Test.
Equally significant disappointments, at least in the first two Tests, were veteran spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Both failed to make inroads as the series slipped away, even as New Zealand spinners Santner, Patel and Glenn Phillips showed a lot more discipline.
All-rounder Sundar showed better skill with the ball on helpful pitches and there is a belief that India would have been better served had left-arm spinner Axar Patel been included in the team, as his record as a batsman and bowler on India pitches is second to none.
While Jadeja did pick up 10 wickets in Mumbai, the writing is on the wall. The four veterans who brought India numerous accolades over the past decade are unlikely to be seen together for much longer.
India might have hoped for a smoother transition, possibly following the WTC final after which the veterans could be moved along with dignity. But the embarrassment of a home Test series whitewash means there is no time for formalities.
The Test squad for the five-Test Australia tour has already been announced and expect a few heads to roll if the Indian team continues its horror form.
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
England squad
Joe Root (captain), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (vice-captain), Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
