India’s struggles continued on Day 2 of the first Test against New Zealand at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on October 17. The team’s performance was marred by a series of blunders, and one moment that stood out was KL Rahul’s perplexing miss in the slips during New Zealand’s first innings. In the 13th over, as Mohammed Siraj bowled to New Zealand captain Tom Latham, a nick off Latham’s bat directed the ball toward the slip cordon, where both Rahul and Virat Kohli were stationed.
Despite being in a prime position to take the catch, Rahul hesitated and allowed the ball to slip past him, a moment that left Indian captain Rohit Sharma visibly frustrated. It was a glaring oversight from the local boy, who later explained that he struggled to spot the ball clearly in the slip position.
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Standing at third slip, he seemed taken aback by his inability to react, and the missed opportunity proved costly as it not only provided Latham with a reprieve but also allowed New Zealand to extend their lead beyond India’s paltry total of 46 runs.
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Latham’s miss was compounded by the fact that he later fell to Kuldeep Yadav, who dismissed him LBW in the 18th over after a strong appeal. Initially, the umpire turned down the appeal, but Kuldeep insisted on a review, which confirmed that Latham was indeed out for 15 runs. In the meantime, Devon Conway was making a statement of his own, scoring a brisk fifty in just 54 balls, further solidifying New Zealand’s control over the match.
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As the day progressed, India’s woes deepened. Earlier in the innings, Rahul had also faced disappointment at the crease, having been dismissed for a duck, adding to the team’s mounting frustration. The day concluded with India facing the harsh reality of their lowest total in Test history at home, a stark reminder of the challenges they faced against a determined New Zealand side.
