Dinesh Karthik recently analyzed Rohit Sharma’s captaincy after India’s disappointing series loss to New Zealand in Pune. India lost the second Test by 113 runs, marking their first home series defeat in 11 years.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Karthik said that Rohit Sharma’s captaincy in this match was not at its best, adding that the pressure on him was immense, and it affected both his performance and decision-making.
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What did Dinesh Karthik say on Rohit Sharma's captaincy?
When asked about Rohit’s captaincy, Karthik said it wasn’t his best showing. He mentioned that Rohit tried his best, but things just didn’t go India's way.
"Not at its best. I think he had a very tough Test match, he did all he could. I think there is a lot of pressure on him, I could see, because as a team, whatever they tried, it didn't come through really well," said Dinesh Karthik on Cricbuzz.
According to Karthik, Rohit might reflect on his decisions during the match, wondering whether he was reactive rather than proactive. Karthik also pointed out that Rohit’s poor form with the bat added to his challenges as a captain. This affected the team’s overall performance as they struggled to find any rhythm.
"And add to the fact that he didn't get runs, must have really hurt him. So overall it wasn't his best test match. It will be a Test match where he will reflect and think to himself, "What could I have done better? Was I a reactive captain or proactive captain?" There's always for fine line there, you need to be always on the money in international cricket to get the results consistently. And today, this test match was the one where he was chasing the ball a little bit and it happens, It is not that easy, when teams are getting your way for boundaries, taking the odd singles. He tried his best, I would say, with whatever he could, but when you look at the context of the game, you have to say, it wasn't his best game -- neither for him, nor for team India," he concluded.
'#Rohit’s captaincy not at its best in Pune Test'@DineshKarthik discusses, on #CricbuzzChatter#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/053jyioIK3
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) October 27, 2024
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What happened in the second Test match at Pune?
After a promising start to their second innings, with Yashasvi Jaiswal playing a strong knock, the team collapsed after lunch. New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner was the impact player, taking 13 wickets across both innings.
Rohit Sharma’s dismissal for a low score added to the pressure on the team. The middle order, including players like Virat Kohli, failed to make a big impact.
In the end, India were bowled out for 245, well short of the 359-run target set by New Zealand. The series loss has raised questions about the team’s approach, and India now needs to regroup and bounce back ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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