Of all the series the Indian team management would have expected the biggest challenges in, a home Test series against an out-of-form New Zealand was probably the least likely.
Possibly guilty of thinking too far ahead and planning for the Australia Test tour, Rohit Sharma's team were handed a brutal reality check as they suffered their first home Test series defeat in 12 years and now face the possibility of a series whitewash.
Prior to the series, New Zealand had suffered their own 2-0 Test series thrashing in Sri Lanka, which included an innings defeat, while No 1-ranked India seemed a couple of steps away from qualifying for the World Test Championship final.
Two Tests later, New Zealand are celebrating one of the rarest feats in modern Test cricket – a comprehensive series win in India – while the India are wondering if their time at the top of the table is drawing to a close.
The Black Caps first wrecked India's batting on an unusually lively pitch in Bengaluru and then outplayed them with the bat and ball on a rank turner in Pune. Not only did New Zealand win, they did so by beating India in every single aspect of the game in all four innings.
Captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir have had to quickly drop all planning for the five-Test tour of Australia and concentrate on avoiding embarrassment at home first.
India's veteran batsmen and bowlers have suddenly started to look woefully out of touch, even in conditions tailormade for them. Rohit and Virat Kohli have struggled against pace and spin in equal measure, with youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan looking a lot more assured at the crease.
Fast bowler Mohammad Siraj seems to have gone many levels back in Test bowling, while Jasprit Bumrah is also not quite delivering with the new or old ball. What has been most damaging is the diminishing returns from off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
The situation got so bad that India flew in off-spinner Washington Sundar for the second Test and played him alongside Ashwin; Sundar picked up 11 wickets and scored 39 runs in the low-scoring Pune Test.
A similar desperation is visible ahead of the third Test which begins in Mumbai on Friday. India have brought in all-rounder Harshit Rana, who was playing first-class cricket. Like Sundar, Rana could well slot straight into the playing XI.
If that happens, it will show that the team management is making running repairs with equipment that was not even in the garage. Both Sundar and Rana were not in their plans for the New Zealand Test series but the incumbents have been so lacklustre, they figure that the two young all-rounders can't be any worse.
India now can't even take a chance with an underprepared pitch for the third Test as the toss would then become the deciding factor.
The bigger issue is the form of Rohit and Kohli, as the challenge is only going to get tougher in Australia, where fast bowlers can expect help for the first three games in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane.
If India lose the third Test in Mumbai and don't get their act together quickly in Australia, they will fall out of the WTC final race.
New Zealand, meanwhile, should be proud of their series win, which was secured without the services of their premier batsman Kane Williamson.
Williamson missed the first two Tests due to a groin strain but the rest of the line-up, led by Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, handled India's bowling expertly.
Williamson is set to miss the third Test as well. He has remained in New Zealand to work on his recovery from the injury he sustained in the recent series against Sri Lanka. Williamson will now hope his groin strain clears up in time to face England next month.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets