'Rohit Sharma Endures Social-Media Backlash as 'Clueless Captain' Trending Following NZ Defeat, Igniting Fan Conflict: 'Kohli Downfall...'

India's hopes of securing a spot in the World Test Championship final took a hit as they suffered an eight-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the first match of the three-match series. This loss not only ended India's six-match winning streak on home soil but also raised concerns about their qualification for the final.

Rohit Sharma bore the brunt after India's loss in Bengaluru, where the team suffered two batting collapses. In the first innings, the hosts were folded for their lowest-ever score at home (46), which comprised dismissals for duck. In the second innings, they went from 408 for three after a 178-run stand between centurion Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant to 462 all out in a space of just 15.3 overs.

Rohit did accept that it was a poor judgment on his part regarding the Chinnaswamy track, which remainder under covers after Bengaluru witnessed rain over 48 hours in the lead-up to the match, where the opening day was washed out without a ball being bowled. India, in a rather surprising move, opted to bat first and then played three spinners and two fast bowlers in the opening Test.

Experts also outlined tactical errors in Rohit's bowling preferences, especially on the final day of the match, where he under-utilised the experienced Ravichandran Ashwin, and over-bowled Mohammed Siraj, who seemed to be struggling in the favourable conditions on Sunday.

Following the loss with New Zealand weathering the early storm from Jasprit Bumrah to wrap up the 107-run chase within the opening session, fans on social media brutally attacked the India captain as 'Clueless Rohit Sharma' trended on X, formerly known as Twitter. They highlighted that under previous India captain Virat Kohli, the team lost just two Tests in 31 matches between 2015 and 2021, while under Rohit's tenure, the hosts already suffered three losses in 14 Tests since he assumed the role in 2022, two of which happened this year itself. The tweets against Rohit subsequently sparked a fan war on social media.

Despite the defeat by eight wickets in Bengaluru, where the New Zealand batters showed more control against the spinners, especially Rachin Ravindra, who notched up a century in the first innings and remained unbeaten on 39 in a 75-run stand for the fourth-wicket on Day 5, Rohit remained optimistic of an India comeback, much like in the series against England earlier this year.

"New Zealand bowled pretty well and challenged every corner of our bat and we failed to respond to that. Games like these happen. We will take the positives and move forward. There are guys who have been in this situation before. We lost a game against England and won four games after that. Two Test matches to go and we know exactly what is needed from each one of us. We will try and put our best game forward," he said.