October 27, 2024: After India’s surprising 113-run loss to New Zealand in the second Test in Pune, captain Rohit Sharma defended all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, emphasizing that the expectations on the two players are often unrealistic.
The loss, which marked India’s first home Test series defeat since 2012 and ended their record 18-series unbeaten streak, saw New Zealand clinch their first-ever series win in India, leading 2-0 with one Test remaining.
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In the post-match press conference, Rohit spoke about the pressure Ashwin and Jadeja face to perform consistently. “Every game they play, they are expected to take wickets, run through the [opposition] team, and win Test matches for us. I don’t think that is fair,” he said.
Rohit stressed that winning requires contributions from the entire team, not just the two all-rounders. He acknowledged that while Ashwin and Jadeja hold themselves to high standards, it’s important to allow them some margin for off-days without overanalyzing their performances.
Rohit added that both players, despite the expectations, had decent individual performances in the Pune Test. Ashwin took five wickets and contributed 22 runs, while Jadeja managed three wickets and scored a valuable 80 runs. However, he emphasized that expecting them to “run through” teams in every game is unrealistic. “Sometimes they are allowed to have some bad games here and there,” Rohit said, reiterating that such expectations should not define their roles every time they step onto the field.
As India prepares for the final Test at Wankhede Stadium, Rohit’s comments highlight a call for collective accountability, urging the entire team to rally together to reverse the momentum in the remaining game.
