Team India’s struggle in the first Test of the three-match series against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has caught many off guard. After a convincing win against Bangladesh, it seems India might have underestimated New Zealand, a team that came prepared to challenge the hosts. Despite being in favorable home conditions, India’s batting collapse, captaincy decisions, and team selection errors led to a disappointing score of just 46 runs in the first innings. Let’s take a deeper look into what went wrong for India.
1. Underestimating New Zealand After Bangladesh Series
India came into the New Zealand series after a dominant 2-0 victory against Bangladesh, which likely created a false sense of confidence. Rohit Sharma and his team may have taken New Zealand lightly, assuming their struggles at home against Sri Lanka would continue. However, New Zealand proved that they were not to be dismissed so easily, displaying the grit and determination that helped them become former World Test Champions. The Kiwis, hungry to perform, capitalized on India’s casual approach, leading to a disastrous start for the home side.
2. Questionable Captaincy Decisions by Rohit Sharma
One of the most debated aspects of this match was Rohit Sharma’s decision-making as captain. Winning the toss, Rohit chose to bat first on a pitch that was affected by rain and had moisture in it due to overcast conditions. Bowling first would have been the safer choice, as the pitch favored seamers early on, but Rohit’s decision backfired as India crumbled against New Zealand’s pacers.
Furthermore, when the batting line-up was failing, Rohit had the opportunity to alter the order and potentially stabilize the innings. Instead, he sent Virat Kohli to bat at No. 3, a position Kohli hadn’t occupied for eight years in Test cricket. With the top order collapsing, someone like KL Rahul or Sarfaraz Khan might have been better suited to come in earlier, but the decision to back Virat at No. 3 didn’t work, adding to the captaincy missteps.
3. Misreading Bengaluru’s Conditions and Team Combination
Bengaluru had experienced continuous rain in the days leading up to the Test, which created overcast conditions, adding moisture to the pitch. Despite knowing this, Rohit Sharma opted for a spin-heavy bowling attack with three spinners—Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin. While the Chinnaswamy pitch typically favors spin, it wasn’t the right strategy under the overcast conditions. New Zealand’s pacers exploited the conditions brilliantly, while India’s reliance on spin didn’t pay off early in the game.
Rohit had a pace option in Akashdeep Singh, but he didn’t include him in the playing XI. Although the spinners eventually got wickets, by then, New Zealand’s pacers had already caused significant damage to India’s batting line-up. This miscalculation in team selection proved costly.
4. Failure to Assess the Conditions Correctly
Bengaluru’s unpredictable weather was another factor that Rohit Sharma seemingly failed to assess. With rain halting play on the first day, it was clear that the pitch had absorbed moisture. Given the overcast conditions, bowling first might have put the Kiwis under pressure, but India ended up suffering instead. The failure to properly gauge the conditions contributed to India’s poor performance in the first innings.
5. India’s Poor Fielding Performance
India’s fielding, which has often been a strong point, let them down in this match. Several crucial catches were dropped, including by key players like KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma. These fielding lapses gave New Zealand’s batsmen the chance to capitalize and build a lead of 134 runs. In a low-scoring game, every run counts, and India’s poor fielding added unnecessary pressure on their already struggling side.
Conclusion: Key Lessons for Team India
India’s performance in the first Test against New Zealand has exposed several issues, from underestimating the opposition to making strategic errors in team selection and captaincy. Rohit Sharma and the team will need to rethink their approach, especially in reading pitch conditions and making tactical decisions. With the second Test looming, Team India will have to bring their A-game to avoid a repeat of the mistakes made in Bengaluru.
