"That Probably Cost Us The Series": Rohit Sharma's Honest Admission After India's 3-0 Defeat to New Zealand
Rohit's decision to bat after winning the toss on Day 2 of the Bengaluru Test, following the washout of Day 1, backfired badly. India collapsed to their lowest-ever total at home, all out for just 46 runs. From that moment onward, the Indian team was constantly on the back foot, struggling to recover in the remaining Tests.
India's historic 3-0 series whitewash at the hands of New Zealand has been a bitter pill to swallow, with captain Rohit Sharma taking full responsibility for the crushing defeat. India suffered a 25-run loss in the third Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which sealed their first-ever home series whitewash in Test cricket.
At the post-match press conference, Rohit offered a blunt admission of his errors, acknowledging that his decision to bat first in overcast conditions in the first Test at Bengaluru set the tone for the series defeat. “I take complete responsibility, starting with the toss in Bengaluru and many tactical errors throughout the series,” Rohit stated. “I have not been at my best and that probably cost us the series.”
Rohit's decision to bat after winning the toss on Day 2 of the Bengaluru Test, following the washout of Day 1, backfired badly. India collapsed to their lowest-ever total at home, all out for just 46 runs. From that moment onward, the Indian team was constantly on the back foot, struggling to recover in the remaining Tests.
Rohit himself had a particularly challenging series with the bat. Over the course of the three Tests, he managed only 91 runs, the lowest among India's top-order batsmen who played all three matches. His poor form continued in the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, where he has accumulated just 133 runs in 10 innings at an average of 13.30.
This defeat also marks another unwanted record for Rohit Sharma, as he becomes the first Indian captain to lose four Test matches at home in a single calendar year since 1969. Despite his leadership in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, it remains uncertain whether Rohit will be available for India's next Test series in Perth due to personal reasons.
The loss to New Zealand has been a sobering experience for Rohit and the Indian team, leaving them with a lot of questions to answer ahead of their upcoming challenges.
