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'Not a pitch where...,' India skipper Rohit blames batters for Test series loss vs New Zealand

'Not a pitch where...,' India skipper Rohit blames batters for Test series loss vs New Zealand

India skipper Rohit Sharma failed in both innings (Source: BCCI)

India skipper Rohit Sharma has conceded that his side could not cope with the relentless pressure put by New Zealand bowlers afterIndia lost the second Test on Saturday (Oct 26). With the loss, New Zealand took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series, clinching their maiden Test series win in India.

Rohit acknowledged that batters failed to put up runs on the board despite the bowlers taking all 20 wickets in the match.

Also Read:IND vs NZ, 2nd Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal breaks THIS record amid poor show by other batters

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"Disappointing. It is not what we expected. NZ played better cricket than us. We failed to respond to challenges and we sit here that result. I don't think we batted well enough to get runs on the board," said the skipper.

"You have to take 20 wickets, but the batters have to put runs on the board as well. We did not put enough runs, then conceded a 100-run lead. It was a fightback from us, but it was always going to be challenging. We thought we could chase but the continuous challenges we could not cope. When they started off, they were 200 for 3 and for us to come back and bowl them 259 was great. It was a not a pitch where a lot was happening, but we did not bat well enough. NZ played better," he added.

Chasing 359 runs, India were 81/1 at lunch on day 3 but lost six wickets in the second session and it was just a matter of when after that. India were eventually bowled out for 245 runs in the second innings, losing the match by 113 runs.

The third and final match of the series will be played from Friday (Nov 1) in Mumbai and Rohit said 'we want to show up at Wankhede and win that Test.'

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Prashant Talreja

Prashant Talreja is an Assistant Editor at WION, specializing in sports: cricket, tennis, golf, football, etc. With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Talreja has pr...Read More