India’s loss to Australia in the Boxing Day Test has raised many questions for them. The Men in Blue are under tremendous pressure as they need to win the next match to finish the series on equal terms.
However, shocking news is emerging about three players who were heavily criticized after India’s defeat in Melbourne. The three players are Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant.
All of these players did not have a particularly good start in the match and therefore faced criticism from all corners. As Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s poor form continued, Rishabh Pant was playing bad shots when his team needed him the most.
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Nothing He Said To Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma: Reports
According to Rohit Juglan of RevSportz, nothing was said to the team’s two best players – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. When the entire team was criticized for their poor shot selection in the match, Rohit and Kohli’s poor shots were also included.
There has been talk of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring after their recent form. However, the Indian team management, including Gautam Gambhir, has not said anything to these two senior players.
Rohit Sharma was out in the second innings while trying to play a poor shot which was not necessary at that time. Rohit had looked solid till then but he tried to play an aggressive shot and was caught in the gully by Mitchell Marsh for just 9 off 40 deliveries.
On the other hand, Virat Kohli was left out, as is typical of his dismissal throughout his career. The 36-year-old attempted to cover left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc but got an outside edge only to be caught by Usman Khawaja at first slip. Kohli was dismissed for just 5 off 29 balls.
Rishabh Pant faces anger over India loss: reports
The report also claims that wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was harshly criticized by the team management and faced wrath for India’s defeat. Pant was criticized for his poor shot selection at the time when the team needed it the most.
Rishabh Pant has also been criticized outside the Indian dressing room. A no. of former cricketers have blamed the timing of his shot selection and blamed him for the defeat. But some former cricketers like Michael Hussey spoke in his favor and endorsed his ability to win matches for his team in any situation.
Pant has been criticized to the extent that there have been talks of quitting too. However, that is unlikely to happen as he has been India’s best player in Tests for some time.
Rishabh Pant’s premature dismissal
Rishabh Pant tried to play a great shot against part-timer Travis Head but was caught in the deep by Mitchell Marsh. He had played a defensive style of cricket up to that point, but he also looked solid. Pant and Jaiswal had been building a strong and patient partnership as India did not lose any wicket in the second session.
However, he saw a half-track and couldn’t help but play a big shot. The big boundaries at the MCG also played a role in his dismissal as he was dismissed for 30 off 104 balls.
His wicket was the turning point as it opened the floodgates for Australia. The hosts saw an opportunity and attacked the Indian batsmen with some impressive bowling. India lost seven wickets in the last session to lose the match.