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Rohit Sharma-led Team India's 12-year unbeaten streak at home in Test cricket came to an end with a crushing 113-run defeat to New Zealand in the second Test in Pune. This loss secured a 2-0 series win for New Zealand, marking their first-ever Test series victory in India.
India suffer Test series loss against New Zealand
The last time India lost a Test series at home was in 2012 against England. Despite winning the first Test, India succumbed to defeats in the next two matches, with the final Test ending in a draw. This series loss marked a big upset for India, as India had previously enjoyed a long period of dominance in home Test matches.
Certainly it wasn't easy for the India captain Rohit Sharma to process what happened in a span of two matches, where India's weakness was laid bare which saw Kiwis making the most of the opportunity to ultimately seal the series.
We failed to respond to challenges and we sit here that result: Rohit Sharma
Right after the match Rohit admitted that the New Zealand played better than India which became the differentiating factor. The Hitman openly accepted that Team India failed to respond to the challenges which is why they are in a state of bother.
"Disappointing. It is not what we expected. NZ played better cricket than us. We failed to respond to challenges and we sit here that result," Rohit said in the post-match presentation.
The 37-year-old didn't shy away from admitting the batting fiasco as he said that the batters have to put run on the board which is as important as taking 20 wickets for the bowlers. Barring Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored a brave 77 off 65, none of the Indian batters rose to the occasion which cost India dearly. Ravindra Jadeja did try to apply some resistance with his 42 off 84 down the order but to only see India going down to a lowly 245 while chasing a target of 359 runs.
"I don't think we batted well enough to get runs on the board. You have to take 20 wickets, but the batters have to put runs on the board as well. We did not put enough runs, then coneceded a 100-run lead. It was a fightback from us, but it was always going to be challenging. We thought we could chase but the continuous challenges we could not cope. When they started off, they were 200 for 3 and for us to come back and bowl them 259 was great. It was a not a pitch where a lot was happening, but we did not bat well enough. NZ played better," Rohit added.
The third and the final Test between the two teams will be played at the iconic Wankhede stadium, which Rohit is looking forward to.
"Disappointing. It is not what we expected. NZ played better cricket than us. We failed to respond to challenges and we sit here that result," Rohit said in the post-match presentation.
Similar batting pattern costs India in Bengaluru and Pune Tests
Looking at the Team India's pattern in both the matches, the first Test in Bengaluru was a disastrous affair for India. A paltry first-innings total of 46 set the tone for the match. Despite a valiant effort from Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant, India could only set a modest target of 107 runs, which New Zealand chased down with ease.
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The second Test in Pune followed a similar pattern. India's batting woes continued, with the team being bowled out for 156 runs in the first innings. New Zealand, led by Tom Latham's steady innings, set a challenging target of 359 runs, which proved too much for the Indian batsmen.
Prior to this series, India had enjoyed an impressive 18-match unbeaten streak at home, dating back to 2013. However, the recent defeats have exposed vulnerabilities in the Indian team, particularly in their batting performances.
