Skipper Rohit Sharma pinpoints reason behind India's defeat to New Zealand in Pune Test

Skipper Rohit Sharma reflected on India's disappointing loss to New Zealand in the second Test of the series, acknowledging that the hosts fell short with their batting. Rohit's performance in the Pune Test was underwhelming, managing only eight runs. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rohit noted that the Pune pitch offered little for the bowlers. He remarked that a better first-innings effort could have altered the outcome.

The captain added that his team would return "with better intent, better ideas, and better methods" for the series decider against New Zealand.

"It wasn't a pitch where much was happening. We just didn't bat well enough. Things might have been slightly different if we'd gotten closer in the first innings. We want to perform well at Wankhede and try to win that Test. It's a collective failure; I'm not someone who blames just the batters or the bowlers. We'll come out with better intent, better ideas, and better methods at Wankhede," Rohit said.

In the match, New Zealand elected to bat first and put up a solid score. Half-centuries from Devon Conway (76 off 141 balls, with 11 fours) and Rachin Ravindra (65 off 105 balls, with five fours and a six) helped the Kiwis to 197/3. Ravichandran Ashwin (3/41) initially dented New Zealand's progress, but it was Washington Sundar's impressive spell (7/59) that wrapped up the innings at 259.

India needed a sizeable first-innings total but fell short. Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a duck, and despite Shubman Gill (30 off 72 balls, with two fours and a six) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (30 off 60 balls, with four fours) trying to build a partnership, their effort was halted at 49 runs. Following Gill's dismissal, Mitchell Santner (7/53) and Glenn Phillips (2/26) dismantled the Indian batting order, restricting them to just 156, with Ravindra Jadeja top-scoring with 38 off 46 balls (three fours and two sixes).

New Zealand strengthened their position in the second innings, led by Tom Latham's 86 off 133 balls (10 fours), with support from Phillips (48 off 82 balls, four fours and two sixes) and Tom Blundell (41 off 83 balls, three fours). The Kiwis built a 358-run lead, with Sundar (4/56), Jadeja (3/72), and Ashwin (2/97) chipping in to end New Zealand's innings at 255. Chasing 359, India started positively with a 62-run stand between Jaiswal and Gill (23 off 31 balls, with four fours). However, after Jaiswal's dismissal for 77 off 65 balls (nine fours and three sixes), India's innings crumbled, with the team bundled out for 245, losing by 113 runs and marking their first home series defeat in 12 years.

Santner shone with figures of 6/104, taking 13 wickets in the match, while Phillips and Ajaz Patel provided support, concluding the Test in two days. (ANI)