Team India’s dominance in home Test cricket came to a halt as New Zealand clinched a historic 2-0 series victory, ending India’s 18 consecutive home series wins since 2013. This marked India’s first home series defeat in 12 years, dating back to the 2012 loss against England.
In the decisive second Test at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that the Indian side struggled under pressure, saying, “We failed to respond to the pressure.” New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner was instrumental in their success, delivering an outstanding bowling performance with match figures of 13-157, including 6-104 in the second innings.
New Zealand’s Tactical Superiority
New Zealand’s disciplined play proved decisive. In the series opener in Bengaluru, India was bowled out for just 46 in the first innings, setting the tone for a challenging series. New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra anchored the innings with a steady century, supported by Tim Southee’s aggressive late-order batting.
Despite resistance from India’s Sarfaraz Khan, who scored his maiden Test century, and Rishabh Pant’s counter-attacking 99, India’s lower-order collapse led to a modest target of 107 for New Zealand, which they comfortably chased. Rohit acknowledged the opposition’s superior tactics, emphasizing that “New Zealand batters showed us that if you play in a certain method, it will work.”
Rohit Sharma’s Response to Criticism
Addressing critics after the defeat, Rohit emphasized India’s previous successes while stressing the need to avoid over-analysis. “We won 18 series before this, so we did a lot of things right,” he pointed out, adding that occasional setbacks are part of the game. Despite the loss, India maintained its top position in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with a PCT of 62.82.
Rohit made it clear that India’s strategy was always to play for a win, not settle for draws, even when conditions were tough. “We wanted to do as a team, try sweeps, paddles… When you play on a pitch like this, you have to find options to do things differently,” he explained. Despite the setback, Rohit remained optimistic, highlighting the team’s resilience and hinting at improvements for future matches.
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