Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma was left frustrated after a bizarre dismissal on Day 3 of the first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Rohit, who was batting confidently, seemed to have found his rhythm as he played a solid knock of 52 off 63 balls, including eight boundaries and one six.
However, his promising innings was cut short in an unusual manner when he was bowled by New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel. Rohit attempted a straightforward defence to a delivery, but in a freak occurrence, the ball bounced off the ground and ricocheted onto the stumps, leaving him stunned.
The New Zealand players celebrated, but Rohit’s disappointment was evident. He stood in disbelief, processing the unfortunate nature of his dismissal, before slowly walking back to the pavilion.
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Earlier, Rohit had openly admitted to a tactical miscalculation regarding the pitch conditions. India had suffered a shocking collapse in their first innings, getting bowled out for just 46 runs, their lowest-ever Test score at home and the third-lowest in their history. After the match, Rohit reflected on the decision to bat first, a choice that backfired heavily.
Here is the video of Rohit Sharma dismissal 💔 was batting so well https://t.co/o5hFZQ0ElK pic.twitter.com/er8uhVkTZP
— Cricspace (@raj_cricspace) October 18, 2024
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“We thought the pitch wouldn’t offer much to the seamers after the first session. There wasn’t much grass either. We anticipated a flatter surface. It was a misjudgment on my part, and I’m disappointed with the outcome. As captain, I take responsibility for the call to bat first. Seeing 46 on the board hurts, but we live and learn from these mistakes,” Rohit Sharma said after the second day’s play.
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India’s collapse was particularly shocking as it came just days after their series win against Bangladesh in Kanpur. On a pitch that had been covered due to rain, New Zealand’s bowlers, led by William O’Rourke and Matt Henry, exploited the conditions perfectly. Tim Southee set the tone by dismissing Rohit early, and the Indian batting lineup crumbled. Five Indian batters, including Virat Kohli, registered ducks, further compounding the disaster.
Rohit Sharma admitted, “On a pitch like this, where there was help for the bowlers, our shot selection let us down. Sometimes you plan something, but execution fails.”
