India’s impressive 12-year undefeated home Test series streak ended when New Zealand defeated them by 113 runs in the second Test in Pune. For 4,331 days, India had dominated at home, winning 18 consecutive series since March 2013.
New Zealand’s disciplined play won the series, raising concerns about Rohit Sharma‘s captaincy and tactical errors that may have contributed to India’s loss. Experts, including Ravi Shastri, questioned his decisions and suggested bolder tactics could have altered the game’s momentum.
With that in mind, let’s examine three of Rohit Sharma’s captaincy decisions that impacted India in the second Test against New Zealand.
#1 Postponement of Ravichandran Ashwin’s Introduction
Rohit Sharma faced criticism for delaying the introduction of India’s most experienced spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin. Despite early signs of turn on the pitch, Rohit opted for pacers and other spinners before finally bringing Ashwin in.
Ashwin, known for his effectiveness on spin-friendly surfaces, could have applied pressure on New Zealand’s batters right from the start. When he did come on, he quickly began troubling the New Zealand batsmen, creating near-dismissals that suggested an earlier introduction could have changed the game.
The delay allowed New Zealand’s batters to settle and rotate the strike easily. By postponing Ashwin’s introduction, India missed the chance to apply early pressure, which could have curtailed New Zealand’s scoring. Former coach Ravi Shastri noted that bringing in Ashwin sooner might have been vital.
#2 Improper Use of Jasprit Bumrah
Rohit Sharma could have made better use of India’s leading pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. In the first innings, he opted to reserve Bumrah for the second new ball, missing an opportunity to put pressure on New Zealand’s batters early on.
As New Zealand established a substantial lead, securing early wickets in the second innings was vital for India’s comeback. However, Bumrah bowled only six overs in that innings, limiting his effectiveness.
Additionally, starting the second innings without Bumrah was another misstep. If he had been introduced right from the beginning, India could have mounted an early attack and applied pressure on the opposition batters.
#3 Cautious field settings
Another important aspect of Rohit’s tactics that drew criticism was his defensive field placements, which commentators deemed excessively cautious during critical moments of the game.
From the early overs, India’s fielders were positioned deep, allowing New Zealand to easily score singles and build a solid partnership between Latham and Conway.
Rohit’s adjustments only increased the criticism; instead of tightening the field, he moved players to the boundary, letting New Zealand settle in. With Rohit as the sole slip fielder, his defensive approach hindered India’s ability to capitalize on favorable conditions, enabling New Zealand to control the game effectively.
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