"Take retirement and start coaching" - Fans' blunt take on Rohit Sharma's failures in 2024 IND vs NZ 2nd Test
India captain Rohit Sharma flopped with the bat in the second Test against New Zealand at MCA Stadium in Pune, drawing criticism from fans. The right-handed batter was dismissed for just eight runs off 16 balls by Mitchell Santner in the second innings on Day 3 (Saturday, October 26). He was earlier dismissed for a duck by Tim Southee in the first essay.
Rohit has been dismal with the bat since the two-match Test series against Bangladesh. The 37-year-old has managed a solitary half-century in his last eight innings. His last eight scores read (latest first): 8 (today), 0, 52, 2, 8, 23, 5, and 6.
Fans on X trolled Rohit Sharma for his lean phase with the bat. One user wrote:
"He needs to take retirement and start coaching."
Another user wrote:
"He is master of flat tracks only."
A third user added:
"He is a flat pitch bully."
Here are a few more reactions:
Rohit Sharma, however, had amassed 400 runs, including two centuries, in the five-match Test against England earlier this year. He has been retained as skipper for the upcoming 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill impress after Rohit Sharma’s wicket in 359-run chase vs New Zealand
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill impressed with the bat after Rohit Sharma perished early during the 359-run chase against New Zealand in the second Test.
At the time of writing, the hosts were 81/1 at Lunch on Day 3, with Jaiswal (46 off 36) and Gill (22 off 20) at the crease. They need 278 more runs to level the three-match series 1-1.
Batting first, New Zealand were bundled out for 259. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra chipped in with half-centuries. Washington Sundar recorded career-best figures of 7/59, while Ravichandran Ashwin bagged three wickets.
In response, Rohit Sharma and company were skittled out for 156 in the first innings, trailing by 103 runs. Mitchell Santner spun a web, finishing with career-best figures of 7/53, while Glenn Phillips scalped two.
In the second innings, the Kiwis posted 255 to set a 359-run target. Skipper Tom Latham led by example, scoring 86 off 133, while Glenn Phillips and Tom Blundell contributed 48 and 41, respectively. Washington Sundar bagged four wickets for the Men in Blue. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin returned with three and two wickets, respectively.
India lost the first Test by eight wickets to register their first home loss to the Kiwis since 1988. They must win the match to avoid their first Test series loss at home since 2012 against England.
Follow the IND vs NZ 2nd Test live score and updates here.