India vs New Zealand: Rohit Sharma Captaincy Under Fire, Don’t Slam Him, Feel Free to Scrutinise

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Like the report card handed out after a semester exam, grades secured come under scrutiny. This time, it will be skipper Rohit Sharma who comes under the scanner after India lost the first Test to New Zealand in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Why Rohit chose to bat on Day 2 after rain ruined play on Day 1, why Rohit did not pick a third fast bowler is easy to ask now. Perhaps, the skipper had done the best thing by offering an explanation very early in the match after the catastrophic fold up for 46 runs, he had read the pitch wrong.

A loss is a loss and it does hurt the cricket fans who think winning is a necessity and anything to the contrary is unacceptable. But if you look at how the whole Test panned out, there were so many positives. An eternal optimist will praise the fightback by India in the second innings, where Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan and medical marvel Rishabh Pant batted brilliantly.

To score big runs in the second innings was a sign India were ready to make up. A defeatist mentality of the past could well have seen India throw in the towel. No, this time the batting flourished, though the target which was set for New Zealand to chase was a small one.

Back to Sunday, one man caught the eye as he bowled his heart out, Jasprit Bumrah. For someone who loves challenges, the way he teased and tormented the Kiwi batters was a treat to watch. This was defining, for Bumrah showed a large heart in his eight-over spell where he took two wickets for 29 runs.

More important, as long as he was in the firing line and attacking, it was a treat to watch him with the red cherry in his hand. This kind of a spell is rare to see in Indian conditions. And Bumrah is not getting younger either. Yet, to attack, hit the batters and make them hop, he did everything he could to justify why captain Rohit Sharma places so much faith in him.

Of course, for those who will look at Rohit's report card for this Test, he had erred by not picking another fast bowler to support Bumrah and Mohd Siraj. In hindsight, all this is so easy, but Rohit had already said on Day 2, he had erred by deciding to bat first. It was also odd he did not give R.Ashwin a bowl earlier.

There are two ways of looking at the series ahead, brood over this defeat, for New Zealand winning a Test in India after 36 years is a big thing. The second option would be to focus on what to do in the remainder of the Test series and do a course correction.

There is a problem of plenty in batting at least, with Mumbai man Sarfaraz Khan slamming a 150. Would it be prudent to drop him and bring back Shubman Gill for the second Test or will KL Rahul lose his place? All that will be talked about as well.

The good thing, again a part of India's report card, in the ICC Test Championship points table and percentile, Rohit Sharma's side is ahead. After winning Test series against England and Bangladesh, a loss to New Zealand should be treated as an aberration. Unless, the cricket fan is like an unforgiving old school master who will wield the cane.

PS: Use of cane and any abuse is no longer permissible