‘Did Not Bat Well In The First Innings’, Says Rohit Sharma After Defeat Against NZ

October 20, 2024: After India’s disappointing loss to New Zealand in the first Test, captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the challenges of the game and emphasized the need for his team to move forward. The match ended with an eight-wicket victory for the Black Caps, marking their first Test win in India since 1988.

The Bengaluru crowd witnessed standout performances from New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra, Matt Henry, and William O’Rourke, who played crucial roles in India’s defeat.

Despite being bowled out for just 46 runs in their first innings, the Indian batsmen fought back in the second, showing resilience. Rohit praised the efforts of Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant, highlighting their maturity and ability to adapt to the game situation.

Reflecting on the match, Rohit remarked, “It was a good effort with the bat in the second innings. We did not bat well in the first innings. So knew what was ahead and couple of guys stood out. When you are 350 behind you can’t think too much about it, just got to see the ball and bat.

Rohit lauded Sarfaraz and Pant for their fine knocks, saying that everyone is on the “edge of their seats” while watching them play.

“Rishabh left a few balls and then played shots. Sarfaraz showed great maturity as well. I said in my press conference that we knew it will be sticky early on but we did not expect to be out for 46. New Zealand bowled well and we failed to respond to that. Games like these happen. We will move forward. We lost a game against England and won four games after that. We know exactly what is needed from each one of us,” he concluded.