Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma was left distraught following a freak dismissal on Day 3 of the first Test encounter against New Zealand in Bengaluru on Friday. Rohit looked in brilliant form as he negotiated the New Zealand bowlers quite well and went on to score a gritty half-century. The star batter ended up scoring 52 off 63 deliveries with the help of 8 fours and one six. However, his stay at the crease was cut short as he was bowled by Ajaz Patel in somewhat unfortunate fashion. Rohit defended a straight delivery from Patel but it bounced off the ground and went on to hit the stumps.

While the New Zealand cricketers celebrated, Rohit was visibly upset and the disbelief was clear before he walked off the field.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma admitted to a costly misjudgment of the pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium after India suffered a batting collapse, being bowled out for just 46 runs in the first Test against New Zealand. This marked India’s lowest-ever Test score at home and their third-lowest in history.

Here is the video of Rohit Sharma dismissal was batting so well https://t.co/o5hFZQ0ElK pic.twitter.com/er8uhVkTZP

— Cricspace (@raj_cricspace) October 18, 2024

Speaking after the second day’s play, Rohit reflected on the decision to bat first under overcast conditions, a call that backfired disastrously for the hosts. “We thought it wouldn’t help the seamers much after the first session or so. There wasn’t much grass either. We expected it to be much flatter than it turned out to be. It was a misjudgment on my part, and I couldn’t read the pitch well. I am hurting to see this score of 46 as a captain as it was my call to bat first. But one or two bad calls in a year is quite alright,” Rohit admitted.

India’s collapse came just days after their triumphant Test series win in Kanpur against Bangladesh, making the rapid downfall even more shocking. Choosing to bat on a pitch that had been covered due to recent rains, India faced a devastating assault from New Zealand’s pacers, led by William O’Rourke and Matt Henry. Tim Southee initiated the collapse by removing Rohit Sharma early in the innings, and from there on, India never recovered. Five Indian batters, including Kohli, registered ducks, further highlighting the magnitude of the meltdown.

“On a pitch where there was assistance for the seamers, and now that we were bowled out for 46, you could say the shot selection wasn’t up to the mark. It was a bad day. Sometimes you plan to do something but fail to execute,” the Indian skipper added.

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 1st Test Day 5: Live Score Updates© AFP

New Zealand cricket is increasingly grappling with the club vs country dilemma, as more high-profile players choose to opt out of central contracts. With the team gearing up for a challenging stretch of nine Test matches in the coming months, Test captain Tim Southee has acknowledged the issue, attributing it to the “changing landscape of international cricket.” Southee expressed optimism that cricket boards and franchise leagues could find a way to “work together” to address the situation.

As New Zealand prepares to head to India for a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida, he mentioned that his country’s cricket board is “working hard to find the best solution for both sides.”

“There are plenty of offers out there that weren’t around years ago,” Southee said as per quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

“But yeah, at the moment it’s concentrate on playing for New Zealand and giving that everything at the moment,” he added.

“We’ve seen a number of guys who haven’t taken contracts, guys that are sitting on this plane with guys with contracts,” he said.

In recent months, several key players, including Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Adam Milne, have declined central contracts.

Among them, Williamson remains part of the squad for the upcoming Test against Afghanistan. This Test marks the beginning of a series of six matches in the subcontinent, with two more Tests in Sri Lanka and another two in India to follow. After these overseas fixtures, New Zealand will return home to host England in November-December.

“If you look at it as a whole – six Test matches in the subcontinent – it’s exciting,” he said as per quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

“It’s probably something we haven’t done, in my time anyway. It’s a great challenge for the side,” he added.

Southee also praised the Afghanistan side, recently they were beaten by the Afghans in the T2O World Cup by 84 runs.

“They are still new to the red-ball format, but we’ve seen in the other formats what a side they can be,” he said.

“Just recently in the T20 World Cup, last year in the one-day World Cup [where Afghanistan finished sixth], they are an improving side. They’ve had great success in those two formats, and I am sure as a country they want to have success in the longer format as well,” Southee noted.

“Every time we have come up against them in a world event in the last five or six years, we know they are an improving side and a dangerous side. Especially in their part of the world. We just saw them making the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, a couple of upsets last year, and the one-day World Cup as well. So we know they are a very good side in those conditions,” Southee said.

The Kiwis will be playing six Tests in the subcontinent, which could mean that the quick bowlers taking a backseat at times and the spinners taking centre stage.

New Zealand have some quality left arm spinners like Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner, and the off-spin of Michael Bracewell, to go with the part-time off-spin of Glenn Phillips.

Southee knows that the Afghanistan spinners could be a serious threat in Asia.

“That part of the world, spin is going to play a big part. They’ve got some quality spinners, mixed in with some quality quicks as well,” Southee said.

“We’ve seen in other formats that’s been their strength, their bowling unit, particularly their spinners. It’s going to be an exciting challenge,” he noted.

“…. We have the options. We have guys that can bowl spin, off-spin, left-arm spin, so we’ve got a good mix, mixed in with some quality pace as well. It’s exciting for all the spinners. We were in Bangladesh last year, so as a spin bowler, I’m sure you’re looking forward to this challenge,” he added.

New Zealand will be play one Test against Afghanistan from September 9 to 13, after that they will travel to Sri Lanka before returning to India.