IND vs NZ 3rd Test: "Worse Than 36 & 46 All Out" - Sanjay Manjrekar Reacts After India Collapse in Mumbai

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Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels India's collapse in Mumbai is worse than 36 and 46 all out as New Zealand reduced the home team to half the side in the fourth innings of the third Test at the Wankhede Stadium.

Chasing 147 to avoid series white-wash, Team India top order struggled once again as skipper Rohit Sharma threw away his wicket in the third over, falling to Matt Henry after pulling one to Glenn Phillips at mid-wicket.

Rohit's dismissal started a mini procession as Ajaz Patel soon struck to clean up Shubman Gill before removing Virat Kohli for 1 as the star Indian batter edged one to Daryl Mitchell at slip in the sixth over.

Yashasvi Jaiswal soon followed after being trapped LBW by Phillips before Sarfaraz Khan, who registered a duck in the first innings, gifted his wicket, being caught in the deep off the bowling of Ajaz, leading to the reaction from Manjrekar.

"That Sarfaraz Khan shot finishes off so far, one of the worst batting displays by India. This is worse than 36 & 46 all out," Manjrekar posted on X as India fell to 29 for 5 in 7.1 overs.

The same Manjrekar had questioned Team India's management to demote Sarfaraz lower down the order in the first innings in which the team score 263 in response to New Zealand's 235.

Manjrekar questioned the rationale behind pushing an in-form Sarfaraz down the order. Manjrekar expressed his views on social media, highlighting Sarfaraz's impressive recent form.

"A guy in form, has 3 fifties in his first 3 Tests, gets 150 in the Bangalore Test, a good player of spin, pushed back in the order to keep left & right combination?? Makes no sense. Sarfraz now walking in at no 8! Poor call by India," Manjrekar wrote on X.

Coming back to the Mumbai Test, Rishabh Pant has tried to hit India out of the mess as he survived a LBW call. Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have taken India closer to the target of 127 as the hosts reached 61 for 5 half an hour before lunch on Day 3.