India’s 46-run all-out against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium marked one of the lowest points in their home Test history. Rohit Sharma led a strong side into the match, only to witness a dramatic collapse that left fans bewildered. Rohit himself addressed the press with humor but remained honest about the team’s shortcomings.
Rohit Sharma’s Press Conference
Following the defeat, Rohit Sharma walked into the press conference with a sense of humor, despite the circumstances. “Chalao talwaar (bring out your swords),” he joked to the media. This light-hearted comment was in reference to the press’s often critical nature, especially after a heavy defeat.
Broadcaster Harsha Bhogle reassured Rohit, “Yaha koi talwaar nahi chalegi (there are no swords here),” keeping the mood upbeat despite the loss.
Harsha Bhogle to Rohit Sharma:
"Yaha koi talware nahi chalegi (there'll be no swordplay here)". pic.twitter.com/g6sb6HHkSl
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 20, 2024
A Historic Win for New Zealand in India
New Zealand had not won a Test in India since 1988, making this victory all the more historic. Their disciplined approach in both batting and bowling left little room for India to recover. India’s collapse in the first innings set the stage for a dominant New Zealand performance, as they went on to score 402 in reply. Despite India’s efforts in the second innings, the 8-wicket defeat was a clear indicator of New Zealand’s superiority in this match.
Rohit Sharma: Misreading the Pitch
Rohit Sharma was upfront about the team’s error in assessing the conditions. The Bengaluru pitch was expected to offer a sticky surface early on, which Rohit acknowledged. However, he admitted that India was caught off guard by how quickly the pitch deteriorated, making their collapse almost inevitable.
In the second innings, India showed resilience, managing to put up a score of 462. This performance, while significantly better than the first innings, still wasn’t enough to prevent New Zealand from cruising to victory. New Zealand’s bowlers once again played a key role in restricting India’s lead, ensuring their path to a comfortable win.
“I said in my press conference that we knew it will be sticky early on but we didn’t expect to be out for 46. New Zealand bowled well and we failed to respond to that,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Despite the loss, Rohit Sharma expressed confidence that India would bounce back in the remaining two Tests. He pointed to the team’s strong character and referenced India’s ability to turn things around, just like they did earlier in the year against England when they won four consecutive Tests after a tough start.
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