Rohit Sharma Under Fire After India's Home Test Series Loss to New Zealand
Sharma's impressive track record, including five IPL titles with the Mumbai Indians and leading India to its second T20 World Cup victory, his recent form and captaincy choices have drawn criticism. In the ongoing three-match series against New Zealand, India has lost the first two Tests, which has raised concerns about Sharma's captaincy approach and batting performance.
Rohit Sharma's captaincy has come under scrutiny following India's disappointing performance in the Test series against New Zealand, marking a significant blow to India's long-standing dominance at home. Dinesh Karthik, the former Indian wicketkeeper-batter, has been among those questioning Rohit's leadership after India suffered its first home Test series defeat in 12 years.
Despite Sharma's impressive track record, including five IPL titles with the Mumbai Indians and leading India to its second T20 World Cup victory, his recent form and captaincy choices have drawn criticism. In the ongoing three-match series against New Zealand, India has lost the first two Tests, which has raised concerns about Sharma's captaincy approach and batting performance.
The second Test concluded with India suffering a 113-run loss, primarily due to a poor batting display across both innings. Mitchell Santner emerged as a formidable opponent, taking 13 wickets in the match. Following the defeat, Rohit acknowledged the team's poor performance, stating, “We are allowed one such performance in 12 years. If we were collapsing like this on a regular basis, we would not have been winning at home.”
Rohit emphasized the collective nature of the team's failure, refusing to place blame solely on the batsmen or bowlers. “Didn’t think we batted well enough to get runs on the board. You’ve got to pick 20 wickets to win, yes, but batters have to put runs on the board,” he explained. His comments suggest an understanding of the broader issues affecting the team rather than attributing the loss to individual performances.
As India prepares for the third Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, scheduled from November 1-5, the pressure on Rohit and the team will intensify. With the expectation to perform well at home, the upcoming match will be crucial for both Rohit Sharma's captaincy and India's bid to reclaim their dominant status in Test cricket.
