Rohit Sharma Faces Intense Criticism Following Loss to New Zealand: 'Biggest Culprit of the Game'
Following India's loss to New Zealand, captain Rohit Sharma faced significant backlash and trolling from fans on social media, with many labelling him the "biggest culprit of this game" due to his team's disappointing performance.
India vs New Zealand
India faced multiple setbacks in their loss to New Zealand during the first Test in Bengaluru. The match was marred by rain, resulting in the first day being completely washed out before the toss. On Day 2, India’s captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bat, a decision that quickly backfired. New Zealand capitalised on the overcast conditions, bowling India out for a mere 46 runs, and then amassed 402 runs with the bat. In their second innings, India put up a commendable fight, setting a target of 107 runs, which New Zealand chased down comfortably, winning by eight wickets.
This defeat ended India’s six-match winning streak in Tests and marked New Zealand's first Test victory on Indian soil since 1988.
Following the loss, Rohit faced intense criticism from fans on social media, with many labelling him a "clueless captain."
In the post-match presentation, Rohit reflected on the team's performance, stating, "It was a good effort with the bat in the second innings. We didn't bat well in the first innings, so we knew what lay ahead, and a couple of guys stood out. When you're 350 runs behind, you can't overthink it; you just have to see the ball and bat. A couple of partnerships were exciting to watch and got us back in the game. We could have easily been bowled out cheaply, but I'm proud of the effort. Everyone is on the edge of their seat when those two (Sarfaraz and Pant) are playing."
"New Zealand bowled exceptionally well, challenging every aspect of our batting, and we struggled to respond. Games like these occur. We'll focus on the positives and move forward. There are players who have been in similar situations before. After losing to England, we went on to win four consecutive matches. With two Test matches remaining, we know exactly what is required from each of us. We’ll aim to put our best performance forward," he added.
The second Test of the three-match series between India and New Zealand is set to begin on Thursday in Pune.
