Rohit admits he did not read the pitch well

India’s captain Rohit Sharma walks towards the pavilion after the end of play on the second day of the first test cricket match between India and New Zealand, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, on October 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

India captain Rohit Sharma was frank in his admission that he misjudged the nature of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch here. Rohit also said that he is “hurting a little bit” for having decided to bat first.

“We expected the pitch to be a little flatter. So clearly it was a misjudgment of the pitch. I did not read the pitch well enough, and now we sit in this situation,” Rohit said at the press conference after India was shot out for 46 on the first day of the Test against New Zealand on Thursday.

“I am hurting a little bit because I made that call. But as a team, we want to challenge ourselves. This time around, it didn’t come off. We got bowled out for 46. As a captain, it definitely hurts to see that number,” Rohit added.

On the inclusion of spinner Kuldeep Yadav at the expense of seamer Akash Deep, Rohit said, “We felt there was not much grass on the pitch. We added Kuldeep because he is bold on flat pitches and he has taken wickets.”

The Mumbai batter is hopeful that Rishabh Pant will recover quickly from the blow he received to the knee.

“Unfortunately, the ball hit his knee cap – the same leg which he had surgery earlier. He has a little bit of swelling, and the muscles are quite tender. It was a precautionary measure (to come off the field). Rishabh did not want to take a risk because he has gone through a massive surgery on that particular leg. Hopefully he can recover tonight and we will see him back on the field tomorrow,” Rohit said.

The captain defended the decision to send Virat Kohli in at one-drop. “After a long time, K.L. Rahul has found himself a place at number six. We want to make him bat there. The experienced players are the ones who have to take that extra responsibility. This time, it was Virat. We asked him whether he can bat at number three. He was ready,” Rohit said.