Rohit Praises Sarfaraz and Pant's Maturity in India’s Fightback Against New Zealand
Rohit was equally impressed by Sarfaraz, who was playing just his fourth Test match, adding, "Sarfaraz showed great clarity in his shot selection. When you're clear in your mind, you find yourself in a good position."
India captain Rohit Sharma lauded Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant for their maturity in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, where their 177-run partnership for the fourth wicket helped India fight back from a massive first-innings deficit of 356. Though India ultimately lost the match by eight wickets, Sarfaraz's 150 and Pant's 99 gave them a chance to overturn their early struggles.
India were bundled out for a meager 46 runs in their first innings, marking their lowest Test score at home. Despite New Zealand's dominant first innings score of 402, Sarfaraz and Pant's partnership in the second innings provided India with a glimmer of hope.
"When those two are batting, everyone's on the edge of their seat because they play in a style that has brought them success," Rohit said. He praised Pant for his controlled aggression and adaptability, saying, "Rishabh takes risks but played a very mature innings, defending good balls and picking the right moments to go for his shots."
Rohit was equally impressed by Sarfaraz, who was playing just his fourth Test match, adding, "Sarfaraz showed great clarity in his shot selection. When you're clear in your mind, you find yourself in a good position."
Rohit acknowledged the uphill task India faced, trailing by 356 runs, but was proud of the team's determination to bat their way back into the game. "When you're that far behind, all you can do is focus on batting ball by ball. It was great to see those partnerships, which brought us back into the game," he said.
Though India trails 0-1 in the three-match series, Rohit remained optimistic about bouncing back. He pointed to the team's previous resilience, referencing their comeback after losing the opening Test to England earlier this year, where they went on to win the series 4-1.
"We’ve been in this situation before," Rohit said. "There are two more Test matches, and we know what is required from each player. We'll aim to put our best game forward."
The second Test of the series is set to start on October 24 in Pune.
