IND vs NZ: Rohit Sharma-Gautam Gambhir's Batting Decision Aimed at BGT Preparation Backfires on Bowling-Friendly Track in Bengaluru

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Bengaluru, Oct 17: Team India found themselves in familiar trouble during the morning session of the Bengaluru Test as their top three batters fell cheaply on Thursday (October 17).

On day two of the Bengaluru Test, which is technically the first day as the opening day was washed out due to incessant rain, Indian captain Rohit Sharma chose to bat first after winning the toss.

Rohit Sharma's decision leaves everyone stunned

Given the dampness in the pitch, which had been covered for two days, and the overcast conditions, it was expected that the team winning the toss would opt to bowl. Even the commentators were left stunned by the Indian skipper's call after the toss. However, Rohit chose to bat first, aiming to challenge his batters ahead of India's upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour of Australia, where fast and bouncy pitches await.

The opening session didn't go as planned for the home side as New Zealand's pace duo, Tim Southee and Matt Henry, made the most of the helpful conditions, with the ball moving both in the air and off the seam, putting India's batters under immense pressure. Consequently, Team India's three batters were back in the pavilion inside the first hour of play.

Rohit, Kohli, Sarfaraz, Yashasvi, Rahul Fail to Deliver

Rohit's stay was short-lived as he fell to Tim Southee for 2 off 16 balls, attempting an ambitious drive to a delivery that nipped back and shattered his leg-stump. His dismissal left India wobbling early at 4/1 in the fourth over.

In a surprising move, Virat Kohli walked in at No. 3 in place of the absent Shubman Gill. The last time Kohli batted at this position in a Test was eight years ago, in 2016 against the West Indies.

However, his return to the top order was disastrous as young Blackcaps pacer William O'Rourke dismissed Kohli for a duck, caught at leg gully by Glenn Phillips. This was Kohli's first Test duck in 32 innings, with his last such dismissal coming at the Wankhede Stadium against New Zealand in 2021.

Soon after, Sarfaraz Khan - who was included in the eleven as Gill's replacement - joined the procession back to the pavilion. In an attempt to counter-attack, he played a reckless shot off Matt Henry, only to be caught at mid-off by Devon Conway.

With India reeling at 10/3 in 12 overs, the top-order's failure left the team in deep trouble. The score marked India's lowest total at the fall of the third wicket since 2018, when they slumped to 2/3 against England at The Oval.

Later, Yashasvi Jaiswal - who hung in for 109 minutes - was caught at Ajaz Patel at backward point for 13 off 63 balls in the morning session. The left-handed batter tried to cut O'Rourke hard but it went straight into the hands of the fielder positioned for that shot. India, thus, were four down for 21 in 20.5 overs.

KL Rahul - the local boy - walked into the middle amidst huge cheer and chants of 'Rahul-Rahul' at number 5 but the right-handed batter's stay was shortlived as well. He too became O'Rourke's victim, getting caught behind for a six-ball duck.

Ravindra Jadeja also went back to the pavilion at the stroke of the lunch break as he was caught by Patel for a six-ball duck off Henry. India were 34/6 in 23.5 overs.

Was the Decision to Bat First a Misjudgment?

The decision to bat first on a pitch offering early movement raised eyebrows, especially considering the bowling-friendly conditions. Many wondered if Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir had missed a trick by not putting New Zealand in to bat first. With bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the lineup, India could have exploited the conditions to trouble the Kiwi top order.

However, one possible explanation for the bold move lies in India's preparation for the upcoming five-Test series in Australia. Reports suggest Australia will lay out pace-friendly, green-top tracks for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this time, in contrast to the dry surfaces offered in the 2021-22 series. In that context, the Indian team management may have opted to use this game as a practice ground to test their batters against quality pace in tough conditions.

The Indian batters didn't feel much pressure in the last two tours Down Under, barring the embarrassing performance in the Day-Night Test in Adelaide in December 2021 where they were bundled out for 36 in the second innings.

With top six batters, including Rohit, Kohli, Yashasvi and Rahul back in the pavilion, India's middle order now carries the responsibility of stabilising the innings with Rishabh Pant - who's looked the best batter among the lot so far. While the Bengaluru pitch offers challenges early on, the team will hope for some respite as the match progresses.

However, with Pune and Mumbai-two venues with traditionally flatter pitches-set to host the remaining Tests, this could be the most demanding of the three matches in the series. India's ability to recover from this shaky start will not only shape the outcome of this match but also set the tone for their preparation ahead of the gruelling Australian tour.

Team selection for this match would also come under scrutiny as this track looks suited for three pacers but India have gone with just two. All three New Zealand pacers have been amongst the wickets in the first session as they executed their plans to the T and reaped the dividends.