Rohit Sharma Steps In Amid Tensions with Daryl Mitchell During India vs New Zealand Test

Tensions escalated during the opening day of the final Test between India and New Zealand, prompting Rohit Sharma to intervene in a heated exchange with Daryl Mitchell. The incident occurred during the last over before lunch when Mitchell expressed frustration over remarks made by Sarfaraz Khan, who was positioned at forward short-leg.

As the situation unfolded, Sharma approached Mitchell near the stump microphone, leading to a serious discussion between the two players. The atmosphere grew tense, with the crowd rallying behind Sharma, but the on-field umpires remained uninvolved, and the matter seemed to settle momentarily.

However, just two balls later, the drama resumed when India conceded five runs through an overthrow due to miscommunication. Ravindra Jadeja bowled a delivery that struck Mitchell on the pads, igniting a loud LBW appeal from the Indian team. Sensing an opportunity, Mitchell dashed for a quick single amid the heightened appeal.

The throw from Akash Deep aimed to catch Mitchell off guard but took an unexpected turn. Although Mitchell just managed to ground his bat in time, the ball deflected away, racing to the boundary for four runs. This unfortunate turn of events saw a potential wicket morph into a gift for New Zealand, leaving the Indian team with a moment of contemplation as they chose not to review the LBW, as replays indicated that Mitchell had edged the ball.

Earlier, New Zealand opted to bat first after winning the toss at Wankhede Stadium, but India struck early, claiming three wickets in the first session. Washington Sundar, who had been a bright spot for India in the previous Test, continued his good form by taking two of those three wickets.

With the Kiwis already securing the series after wins in Bengaluru and Pune, India was eager to avoid a rare clean sweep at home as they entered the final match of the series.