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Choosing to bat after winning the toss, India encountered an early setback as their captain, Rohit Sharma, fell victim to England debutant Shoaib Bashir‘s brilliance on the field during the first day of the second Test match in Visakhapatnam on Friday.
Making his debut in international Test cricket, leg-spinner Bashir got the better of Rohit.
Nothing shot from Rohit Sharma
In the 18th over of India’s first innings, Ollie Pope took a fine catch at leg slip after Rohit played a disappointing shot, forcing him to return to the pavilion for just 14 (40).
Selfless captain Rohit sharma #INDvsENGTest pic.twitter.com/T6YGoLpciE
— Desh ka Kalesh (@Desh_ka_kalesh) February 2, 2024
Rohit out on 14 in 40 balls.
DEBUTANT SHOAIB BASHIR gets the Indian skipper.
Gotta applaud Stokes for that field setup too. #INDvsENGTest #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/FymgoOPcmJ— Ridhima Pathak (@PathakRidhima) February 2, 2024
Kevin Pietersen slams Rohit Sharma
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen expressed his dissatisfaction with Rohit’s intent, feeling that the 36-year-old missed an opportunity to play a substantial knock.
Speaking to Jio Cinema, Pietersen remarked: “It doesn’t matter who you get out to; you can get out to anybody. I think he’d be kicking himself because there were plenty of runs to be had here. On this wicket, against a very young and inexperienced bowling attack, he will be looking at his dismissal and thinking, ‘How on earth did I get myself out here?”
Also READ: Fans roast India’s skipper Rohit Sharma for his flop show against England on Day 1 of 2nd Test
Pietersen termed Rohit’s dismissal as a ‘lazy’ one, emphasizing that there was a lack of urgency to rotate the strike during his batting.
KP added, “That (the dismissal) was quite lazy. Yes, it is instinctive to knock the ball towards the leg side. But there was no urgency in what led to the dismissal. There was no urgency to try and get off the strike. These guys are expansive from ball one in T20 cricket; they play so beautifully. We have not seen huge spin, massive bounce, or anything that should pose any fear in the batter’s mind.”
