Rohit Sharma put up a brave face as Team India suffered their first home Test series defeat in 12 years. New Zealand defeated India by 113 runs in the second Test at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune to gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The batting lineup let India down, and the hosts were unable to chase down 359 to win the second Test. After the match came to an end, Rohit said that one series loss does not make his side a bad one, and he ensured that India would put up a strong performance in the upcoming third Test.
However, Rohit Sharma’s one comment is going viral on social media, and several netizens are not taking too kindly to the comment. Speaking to reporters, Rohit Sharma said that India can be allowed one series loss in 12 years, and he defended the batting collapse, saying it is not a regular occurrence.
“Humko 12 saal main ekbar to allowed hai yaar. Itna collapses agar 12 saal se ho raha tha to shayad hum jeet he nahi hai paate. India me humara expectations bahut rehta hai, ki hum jo bhi match khelenge, jeetna he hai. Humne hi aadat banaya hai wo, aap logo ka galti nahi hai, itna acha cricket Indian team ne khela hai to wo expectations ek level ke uppar chala gaya hai (We are allowed one such performance in 12 years. If we were collapsing like this on a regular basis then we would not have been winning at home. We have a lot of expectations. We are expected to win every game at our home, and it is because of our performances)” said Rohit Sharma.
Fans slam Rohit Sharma’s comment
Rohit Sharma’s “12 saal main ek baar to allowed” comment is now making news for all the wrong reasons, and several users on the internet, are calling out the Indian captain for downplaying the loss.
Here are some of the reactions to Rohit’s comment:
After India stumbled to their second straight Test loss, captain Rohit Sharma said that he would not single out anybody as it is a collective failure.
“It’s a collective failure. I’m not somebody who would blame just the batters or the bowlers,” Rohit said in the post-match presentation.
The Indian captain also said that not getting enough runs in the first innings proved to be a gamechanger. However, he did laud his bowlers’ fightback in both the first and second innings of the game.
“Didn’t think we batted well enough to get runs on the board. You’ve got to pick 20 wickets to win, yes, but batters have to put runs on the board. Was a great fightback to restrict them to 250-odd but we knew it was going to be challenging,” Rohit said.
“When they started off, they were 200/3 and for us to come back and get them bowled out for 259 was a great effort. Wasn’t a pitch where a lot was happening. We just didn’t bat well enough,” he added.
Mitchell Santner had a memorable match as he returned with 13 wickets, his best performance so far in the longest format. While, in the first innings, he scalped seven wickets, in the second, he returned with six.
India and New Zealand will now square off in the third and final Test against New Zealand, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, beginning November 1.
