In a surprising turn of events during the 1st Test between India and New Zealand, India’s captain Rohit Sharma confessed that he misjudged the pitch after winning the toss. The match, held in Bengaluru, got off to a delayed start due to rain, with Day 1 completely washed out. When play finally resumed on Day 2, Rohit chose to bat first, hoping for a solid start. Unfortunately, his decision didn’t pan out as India was skittled for just 46 runs, their fourth-lowest total in Test cricket history.
Rohit Sharma Reflects on His Pitch Misjudgment
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Rohit admitted that India had expected a much flatter pitch, one that wouldn’t provide much help to the seamers. “We didn’t expect the ball to do much after the first session. There wasn’t much grass on the surface, so we thought it would settle down, but that didn’t happen,” Rohit explained. “It was a misjudgment on my part, and we paid the price for it.”
India’s Nightmare Start
The second day of play turned into a nightmare for India, with the team crumbling in the first session. It all started when Rohit himself was bowled by Tim Southee, and from there, the collapse snowballed. Yashasvi Jaiswal fought valiantly to hold his ground, but wickets kept tumbling around him. Big names like Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, and KL Rahul all went back to the pavilion without scoring, leaving India in disarray.
While Rishabh Pant managed to reach double digits, he too couldn’t hold off New Zealand’s relentless attack for long. Matt Henry and William O’Rourke were instrumental in dismantling the Indian batting order, leaving the hosts reeling.
New Zealand’s Strong Response
In contrast, New Zealand handled the tricky conditions far better. Led by opener Devon Conway, who notched up a half-century, they ended Day 2 in a strong position. Conway, though falling short of a century on 91, laid the foundation for a solid Kiwi innings. Tom Latham and Will Young also contributed, but Indian spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav managed to claw back some control, reducing New Zealand to 180/3 by the close of play.
As the match heads into Day 3, India faces an uphill battle to get back into the game after a crushing first-innings collapse.
