IND vs NZ: Pant the hero, Rohit and Kohli the zeroes as India get a hard kick from the Kiwis

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Heroes and zeroes, that's the story of the India versus New Zeaand Test series which ended in utter shame for the hosts (0-3 loss) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday (November 3).

This was an abject surrender, this was spineless batting, and this was a reminder how famous names like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli now look worse than club cricketers.

Sadly, one young man who played his heart out before he was dismissed for 64 runs, Rishabh Pant, tried his best. This Delhi batter showed whatever the situation, his batting template will not change. He will bat with audacity and aggression, which was needed against the Kiwis spin, where Ajaz Patel walked away with six wickets.

Sample this, a little over three months back, the same Wankhede Stadium had resembled a theatre of celebration when India returned with the T20 World Cup. In this short period, the same heroes looked like ghosts, where Rohit and Kohli played atrocious shots in front of a good crowd.

Add to it the local hero, Sarfaraz Khan also falling cheaply, the nightmare was complete. This is the worst performance against the Kiwis at home. And this has already come in for flak and troll from the global fans. Forget making the ICC Test Championship finals!

There are shrill noises being heard, Rohit and Kohli are past prime, their shelf life is over. All this cannot be ignored. Between these two superstars, they have done nothing worth note in a series where the visitors showed how to play from the heart.

The way India have capitulated against Kiwi spin is a grim reminder this generation of batters are incapable of playing spin. Agreed, there was assistance for the tweakers, but are not Rohit and Kohli equipped to deal with it?

They have spent a lifetime in cricket and if this kind of atrocious shot production is going to come from their broad blades, then trolls will come down like a ton of bricks. You can teach technique and you can teach skills.

But, surely, Rohit and Kohli do not need to be told they needed to apply themselves., Their showing in these three Tests has exposed them. They do not even deserve a place in the Test squad, based on performance.

Who will have the guts to tell them this? Each one is a failure, each one has a kingsize ego, each one has spent more time on social media in the last few posts on the IPL.

It tells you a big story, their focus has not been Test cricket. The IPL monster was created by the BCCI. Now the same monster has consumed the kings - Rohit and Kohli, no longer Test class.

What about Gautam Gambhir, the celebrated coach? He will have to face the music, for this series loss was awful. Team India is the butt of ridicule and what GG said before the series was hogwash, on aggressive cricket.

His choices have been baffling and the coach will be hauled over coals in coming days/weeks. How does one forget, the same man will guide India Down Under in a five-Test series against Australia? Pat Cummins and his men will be waiting for the kill.

Social media in on fire, abuse and vitriol, all in sync. How and why did the BCCI selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar name a squad in the middle of a series, what was the hurry? Do some of these players even deserve to go to Australia? Plus, Rohit has asked for a paternity break!

One man who deserves highest praise is Rishabh Pant. A 60 in the first innings and then a stroke-filled 64, before he got out on Sunday in what was dissed as a 'wrong' decision, Pant was on fire. He did not worry about the red ball turning and bounce.

When the curator prepares a poor pitch and India have batters with no spine, Pant showed he was a class act. His aggression and aura are growing. Surely, this man is destined for greatness, even captaincy. That's provided the BCCI has the guts to tell Rohit and Kohli to go on a break from Test cricket.

There are mature souls still plying their trade in domestic cricket, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Don't ignore them. Selectors, please get over your ego trip. This team for the BGT series needs to be tweaked.