New Delhi: New Zealand beat Rohit and Co. by 113 runs in the second Test match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on October 26. New Zealand’s emphatic victory in Pune also ended India’s 12-year unbeaten streak record at home.
The shocking defeat also raised concerns about India’s batting approach as senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were unable to step up when needed. The two senior players failed to score runs in two Test matches against New Zealand which resulted in the first series defeat at home since 2012.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s struggle against spin
Virat Kohli’s long struggle against spin has only intensified over the last few years. Since 2020, his batting average against spin in India has dropped from 72 to 32.86. Left-arm spinners have troubled Kohli a lot in recent years and he averages 22.70 against them. In the second Test against New Zealand, Mitchell Santner exposed Kohli’s weakness and dismissed him twice in the match.
Overall, the Kiwi spinner has dismissed Kohli six times across formats. His last good knock on a turning pitch came during the 2021 England series where he scored 60 runs and rescued the team from a collapse. But after that, his shot selection and decision-making against spinners has been pretty average. Kohli has scored just one fifty in 10 Test innings this year. Since 2022, he has been dismissed by spinners 17 times in Test cricket.
On the other side, cricket fans and experts have questioned Rohit Sharma’s approach in Test cricket many times. His hit-and-miss approach has worked well for India in the shorter formats but it can never work in the longer format. The Indian captain has scored two centuries in 19 innings this year but he has only managed to score just two half-centuries in 17 innings. Since 2022, Rohit has been dismissed by spinners 18 times and his average also dropped to 30.5.
Team India is in the first position in the World Test Championship standings because of crucial contributions from Jaiswal, Jadeja, Axar, Pant and Ashwin who carried the team so far and it helped Kohli and Rohit to get away from the criticism.
Kohli, Rohit in Endgame?
The last and final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai will be the final opportunity for Kohli and Rohit to score runs and regain some confidence. Both players have a chance to score big runs and get some momentum ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The series against Australia is crucial for Team India’s qualification in the WTC Final as The Men in Blue need to win at least three matches to book a spot in the final. Fans and the team will be hoping that both batters will step up in Mumbai and lead India to victory. If India fail to qualify for the Final, the team management might look for their replacements going into the next WTC cycle.
