New Delhi: Indian Test skipper Rohit Sharma said that his team shouldn’t be judged on their batting performance in the first innings after suffering eight-wicket loss to New Zealand in the first Test on Sunday at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Despite picking early wicket of Tom Latham on the morning of the final day, India couldn’t stop a buoyed New Zealand from chasing 107 as Will Young (48*) and Rachin Ravindra (39*) steered them to a comfortable win in 27.4 overs. This was the first Test win for the Black Caps on Indian soil in 36 years.
For India, it wasn’t a great start to the match after they were shot down to their lowest Test total (46/10) in home conditions on the morning of Day 2 (October 17). Rohit said they won’t talk much about the batting collapse and that won’t define his players’ credentials as a quality Test team.
“I am not going to look too much into this Test match honestly because those three hours are not going to dictate what this team is. You know, because it will be unfair to think about those three hours and start judging players and talk slightly differently,” Rohit said in the post-match press conference.
“It’s important to keep a consistent message in the group. We really found a way to come back into this game with the bat in the second innings. Of course, we lost a Test match. But I feel a lot of good things have happened in this game,” he added.
🗣️ This team is wanting to fight back, wanting to stay in the game as long as possible, and not give it easy to the opposition
Captain Rohit Sharma talks about #TeamIndia‘s strong fightback in the Bengaluru Test.#INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/VJGCkwid3V
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 20, 2024
‘We have lost such matches before and have made comeback’: Rohit
India fought back in the second innings despite conceding 356-run lead to Tom Latham & Co. Riding on the quintessential knocks of Sarfaraz Khan (150) and Rishabh Pant (99), the hosts managed to overcome a deficit by posting 462 on the board, though it wasn’t sufficient for a match-winning score.
Rohit said that the team has made small mistakes but backed his players to bounce back, reminding them of how they have turned the odds when put in a similar position.
“We have made small mistakes in this game and we are suffering the consequences. But that doesn’t mean that everything is over. We have lost such matches before and we have made a comeback after that. So, we will try not to think too much about this Test,” Rohit said.
India suffered a humiliating defeat to Australia in December 2020 in Adelaide after the team mustered its lowest Test score of 36/10. However, Ajinkya Rahane led the Men in Blue in one of the most epic comebacks in Test series, clinching the four-match series 2-1 in the end.
“Now, it’s just about keeping a very calm atmosphere, and not to send panic messages. It’s important that we stay strong and try and see how we can nail that second game,” Rohit added.
India will play the second Test match against New Zealand from October 24 to 28 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
