Umpire Calls for Rohit Sharma Amid Sarfaraz Khan's Disruptive Chatter During Third Test

Controversy unfolded during the second session of the ongoing third Test between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, prompting umpires to engage with Indian captain Rohit Sharma and player Sarfaraz Khan. The on-field official, Richard Illingworth, issued a stern warning after Sarfaraz's persistent chatter while fielding at short leg/silly point irritated both New Zealand batters, Daryl Mitchell and Will Young.

As the 32nd over approached, Sarfaraz's continuous banter became a distraction for the batters, leading to complaints reportedly made by Mitchell to the umpire. This prompted the umpires to summon Rohit and Sarfaraz for a serious conversation, which was further animated by the involvement of Virat Kohli, who joined his captain in discussions with the officials.

The incident highlights the intense atmosphere of the Test match, which saw New Zealand winning the toss and opting to bat first. India capitalized early, claiming three wickets in the first session. Akash Deep dismissed Devon Conway, while Washington Sundar sent both Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra packing, marking the third consecutive occasion he has dismissed Ravindra.

As the match progresses, India is under pressure to secure crucial points in the World Test Championship (WTC) after suffering defeats in the first two Tests of the series. This is the first time India has lost a home Test series in 12 years, creating added urgency to win at least four out of their remaining six matches to keep their hopes alive for the WTC final. Following the series against New Zealand, India will face Australia in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy.