India's Batting Woes: Basit Ali Critiques Rohit's Toss Decision

Former cricketer Basit Ali heavily criticized India's decision to bat first in the opening Test against New Zealand, calling it a 'blunder'. Under overcast conditions, India's batting faltered leading to their lowest home score in Test history, amidst strong bowling from New Zealand's pace trio including Matt Henry.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has strongly criticized India's decision to bat first after winning the toss in the opening Test against New Zealand, terming it as a "blunder". He noted that skipper Rohit Sharma's reflexes appeared weak both in the batting and fielding departments on the second day in Bengaluru.

India's decision to bat under overcast skies in Bengaluru backfired, resulting in their lowest-ever Test score on home soil. Rohit's choice surprised many and led to questions about its wisdom amid the challenging conditions.

The New Zealand pace trio, consisting of Matt Henry, William ORourke, and Tim Southee, consistently troubled the Indian batsmen with their adept swing bowling. India collapsed to a paltry 46, their lowest home score in Test history, with five batsmen failing to score.

Basit Ali highlighted the pitch's moisture as a crucial factor in India's downfall. "It was a blunder because there was a lot of moisture on the pitch. Credit goes to New Zealand," Basit stated on his YouTube channel. The situation worsened for India as New Zealand's Devon Conway scored an aggressive 91.

India missed several opportunities, further aggravating their struggles. Conway edged the ball, which fell short of the slip cordon, and another chance was missed between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Basit criticized India's subpar fielding performance and expressed concerns over Rohit's declining reflexes.

He observed, "The fielding was not up to mark. It was a bad shot from Rohit. I feel Rohit's reflexes have gone slightly weak both in batting and slip." Rohit, struggling at the crease, was bowled by a delivery from Southee that nipped back in, breaching his defense.

Despite India's dire situation, the team, led by Rohit, will aim to reverse their fortunes on Day 3, with hopes to regain control of the match against a dominant New Zealand side. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)