Team India captain Rohit Sharma was left deeply hurt after his team's disastrous performance on the second day of the first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on October 17. India was bowled out for a record-low total of 46 runs, their lowest-ever home Test score. Despite winning the toss, India opted to bat in overcast conditions. However, the decision backfired as the Indian batting lineup crumbled in just 31.2 overs. Five Indian batters failed to score even a single run.
Rohit Sharma deeply hurt to see India's lowly 46-run total
"I am hurting to see this score of 46 as a captain as it was my call to bat first. But one or two bad calls in a year is quite alright," Rohit admitted at the day-end presser.
Team India's historic low
India's dismal performance of being all out for 46 runs marked a historic low in their Test cricket history. This was the first time the Indian team had failed to reach the 50-run mark in a Test innings on home soil. The previous lowest Test score at home was 54 runs against the West Indies in November 1987.
Meanwhile Rohit also admitted his misjudgement of the Chinnaswamy pitch.
"Clearly, misjudgement of the pitch. Obviously, I didn’t read the pitch well enough, and we sit in that situation today.
Today was a very bad day for us. We have played matches like these before. It was a challenge, but we need these challenges as and when possible," Rohit added.
New Zealand put India under the pump in first Test
New Zealand took control of the first Test against India on the second day, ending the day at a strong 180/3. Devon Conway's impressive 91-run knock further solidified New Zealand's dominance. With a 134-run lead, New Zealand is in a prime position to secure a victory.
India's tactical errors and misreading of the pitch conditions proved costly. Despite winning the toss, Rohit Sharma opted to bat under overcast skies on a damp pitch. Even New Zealand captain Tom Latham admitted that he would have chosen to bat first had he won the toss. Tim Southee and Matt Henry exploited the conditions effectively, making life difficult for the Indian openers. The Indian batting lineup crumbled, with five batters failing to score. Rishabh Pant, with 20 runs, was the top scorer for India. The opening partnership lasted only 6.3 overs before Rohit threw it away after scoring just 2 runs. The Indian batting lineup was further marred by five ducks, with Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, and R Ashwin failing to score at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
