With a dismaying performance in the first Test at the Chinnaswamy, KL Rahul found himself again in a tough situation where his existence in the playing 11 would be under the radar.
With Sarfaraz Khan, as the replacement for Shubman Gill, India’s full-time no. 3 batter, going on to score a decisive 150-run knock at the Chinnaswamy, he seems to have made a spot for himself. At the same venue, veteran batter KL Rahul missed on scoring opportunities across both innings even at his home ground.
The Bengaluru boy’s position in the Indian team now seems more threatened with Shubman Gill’s indicative comeback ahead of the second Test. Gill, who scored a century in the last Bangladesh game, missed the first Test due to stiffness in his neck.
Even skipper Rohit Sharma addressed the situation that may arise between Rahul, Sarfaraz, and Gill in the post-match interview. Rohit Sharma clearly mentioned that every player is well aware of their position or where they stand on the side.
He remarked, “They know where they stand in their game, where they stand in their career. We don’t change our mindset based on one game or one series. The messages are thrown at quite early, at the start, and they know exactly where they stand and what the situation is of the team.”
India lost a Test match to New Zealand at home after 36 years
Honestly, not one of the brightest days in Indian cricket history, as India has faced a severe reality check from the WTC Champions of 2021. New Zealand have always been a dominant Test side, but not in sub-continent conditions.
Even the Blackcaps faced a sheer crumble when they had to face a series sweep against the Sri Lankan nation not many weeks ago. The Blackcaps, under newly appointed Test skipper Latham, bulged into a new dimension as they broke their decades-old record.
From bowling out the most dominant home side for a minor score of 46 to Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke sharing 15 wickets between them, New Zealand have set the tone for a win since the very first session of the rain-affected match.
New Zealand batting sensation Kane Willaimson has missed this Test tour, and in turn, the two players who mark their Test debut for New Zealand on Indian soil, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, played brilliantly to hand the Kiwis the early lead of 356 runs.
Following this, India looked to crawl back into the game with powerful strides forward from the Indian top-order batters Rohit, Virat, and young Sarfaraz. The only support they got was from Pant’s 99, after which it seemed another batting collapse.
The rain god didn’t favor the hosts as play resumed on Day 5, and despite early strikes from Jasprit Bumrah, New Zealand chased the timid total of 107 runs with 8 wickets to spare. Ravindra was named the Player of the Match for his contributions to the bat.
