Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Daniel Vettori. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Daniel Vettori with captain Ishan Kishan are seen during a training session.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head can flay any bowling attack.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

SRH’s Daniel Vettori, Ishan Kishan, and Pat Cummins, during the training session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium (KSCA), ahead of the IPL 2026 inaugural match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), in Bengaluru on March 27, 2026.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori admitted that a resilient partnership between Indian tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep foiled their plans to enforce a follow-on, while also defending the decision not to declare the home team’s first innings in the third Test which seems heading towards a draw. With the Indian batters, barring KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, failing once again, it was the obstinate 39-run unbeaten partnership between Bumrah and Akash Deep that saved India the blushes as the tourists avoided a follow on a rain marred day four on Tuesday. “I think the only way to force the game was to force the follow-on,” Vettori said at the post-day press conference.

“There was a desperation to get that final wicket. We thought we had a really good chance when Jadeja was dismissed, but it was a real fighting partnership from Bumrah and Deep.

“Unfortunately, just the amount of time that’s been lost from the game has made it difficult,” he added.

Akash Deep, making his debut in Australia, walked in to bat at 213 for 9, with India still needing 33 runs to avoid the follow-on that could have cost them the game. Alongside pace spearhead Bumrah, he guided India to 252 for 9, frustrating the home team.

Australia had ended day three on 405 for 7 but chose to bat, consuming a considerable amount of game time on a rain affected day four rather than declare their innings.

Asked if declaring was on the table, Vettori said, “No, I think we always acknowledge that first innings runs are going to be vitally important in this game.

“You don’t really want to plan for weather, because we’ve seen on these days where it can blow past, and you can get on with things, and then it can settle in.

“So I think the conversation was mainly around, let’s make the most of this first innings, trust a very good bowling unit to be able to deliver on this wicket like they did today.” Australia were handed a major blow as pacer Josh Hazlewood sustained a calf injury, ruling him out of the rest of the match.

Vettori said losing one of the best bowlers in the world did affect Australia’s game plan, but the rain breaks helped the pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins without any additional burden.

“Weather allowed us to operate in terms of breaks with Mitch and Patty able to come back on multiple occasions. If it had been full 90 overs, it would have been a lot tougher to manage. We always have the luxury to bowl Nathan (Lyon). So that alleviated a little bit of the concern.

“Because of the breaks, it didn’t feel like we pushed them too hard, and it was a tricky situation at the end there where the ball was incredibly soft and getting wet, but to try and push them just that little bit longer to try and get that last wicket.

“Probably that’s the only time where we felt they were slightly extended, but so far it feels like the norm,” he added.

File image of Daniel Vettori (centre) with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.© BCCI/IPL

Former captain Daniel Vettori termed New Zealand’s 3-0 Test series win on Indian soil as his country’s greatest achievement while ex-batter Ross Taylor said he did not think of a clean sweep even “in our wildest dreams”. India suffered a humiliating series whitewash after losing the third match by 25 runs to New Zealand in Mumbai on Sunday, the first time in their Test history, which goes back to 1933. New Zealand had come to India after being thrashed 0-2 by a Sri Lankan team that is in transition. The Black Caps were also without their biggest batting star, Kane Williamson, thanks to injury.

“The expectation for any touring team that goes to India on these types of wickets is that it’s going to be incredibly difficult. We understand the challenge and in a lot of ways it’s just how are you going to compete against them.

“… given the history with two Test match wins in almost 80 years and a lot of trying. You have to go back to the great Sir Richard Hadlee’s era, and he could only get one win,” Vettori, a spin great, was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

“So for this team to come here and get that first one and then to win a series is probably New Zealand cricket’s greatest.” Taylor, a former batting star, is in awe of the New Zealand team after the historic Test series sweep in India.

“I think the way they played throughout the whole series … I think we hoped more than thought we were going to win. But a clean sweep – think it still hasn’t quite sunk in among the New Zealand public, probably for the players as well.

“After winning the first Test (in Bengaluru), it gave the team as well as the public some belief, but I don’t think even in our wildest dreams we imagined a clean sweep and such a convincing performance from Tom (Latham), Gary and the boys.

“This has to be the greatest New Zealand series win in Test cricket. No one has done it. South Africa have won a two-match series 2-0, but 3-0 in India, I don’t think anyone could see this at the start. So this surpasses the 2-1 Test victory in the ’80s against Australia.” Asked how New Zealand pulled off the amazing feat, Taylor said, “Obviously, you come to India after being completely outplayed in Sri Lanka, probably only the players in that dressing room and the support staff gave themselves a chance … But a New Zealand team that’s got their backs against the wall is a pretty dangerous side.

“You need a little bit of luck as well. Bengaluru was a good toss to lose. And then winning the toss in the next two Tests (in Pune and Mumbai) after New Zealand knew they are likely to play on turners after India went down in the first Test was significant.” For former express pacer Shane Bond too, it was not difficult to acknowledge it as the best result ever result for New Zealand in Test cricket.

“No other team has come and done what New Zealand have. When you talk to all the teams about touring India, it almost seems like mission impossible. Even the great Australian team came there and couldn’t win.

“So for NZ to have won 3-0, I know they’ve made World Cup finals and would have loved to have won an ODI World Cup, but I think in terms of red-ball cricket, alongside the WTC (title win), this is far and away the best series result ever.

“I don’t think anyone, anywhere, especially at home, thought we could win this series, let alone a 3-0 sweep.”