Rohit Sharma in action during first Test against New Zealand© X (Twitter)
Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma was left distraught following a freak dismissal on Day 3 of the first Test encounter against New Zealand in Bengaluru on Friday. Rohit looked in brilliant form as he negotiated the New Zealand bowlers quite well and went on to score a gritty half-century. The star batter ended up scoring 52 off 63 deliveries with the help of 8 fours and one six. However, his stay at the crease was cut short as he was bowled by Ajaz Patel in somewhat unfortunate fashion. Rohit defended a straight delivery from Patel but it bounced off the ground and went on to hit the stumps.
While the New Zealand cricketers celebrated, Rohit was visibly upset and the disbelief was clear before he walked off the field.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma admitted to a costly misjudgment of the pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium after India suffered a batting collapse, being bowled out for just 46 runs in the first Test against New Zealand. This marked India's lowest-ever Test score at home and their third-lowest in history.
Here is the video of Rohit Sharma dismissal was batting so well https://t.co/o5hFZQ0ElK pic.twitter.com/er8uhVkTZP
— Cricspace (@raj_cricspace) October 18, 2024
Speaking after the second day's play, Rohit reflected on the decision to bat first under overcast conditions, a call that backfired disastrously for the hosts. "We thought it wouldn't help the seamers much after the first session or so. There wasn't much grass either. We expected it to be much flatter than it turned out to be. It was a misjudgment on my part, and I couldn't read the pitch well. I am hurting to see this score of 46 as a captain as it was my call to bat first. But one or two bad calls in a year is quite alright," Rohit admitted.
India's collapse came just days after their triumphant Test series win in Kanpur against Bangladesh, making the rapid downfall even more shocking. Choosing to bat on a pitch that had been covered due to recent rains, India faced a devastating assault from New Zealand's pacers, led by William O'Rourke and Matt Henry. Tim Southee initiated the collapse by removing Rohit Sharma early in the innings, and from there on, India never recovered. Five Indian batters, including Kohli, registered ducks, further highlighting the magnitude of the meltdown.
“On a pitch where there was assistance for the seamers, and now that we were bowled out for 46, you could say the shot selection wasn't up to the mark. It was a bad day. Sometimes you plan to do something but fail to execute,” the Indian skipper added.