India on the Verge of Historic Test Series Defeat against NZ!

Quite suddenly and shockingly, Team India is in big trouble against the Kiwis. When the series against New Zealand began, India had just scored a fantastic Test win over Bangladesh in Kanpur. Fans and experts alike felt the road to the World Test Championship (WTC) finals was a smooth passage. But here we are just 2 days into the 2nd Test against the Kiwis and the Indians are teetering on the brink of an unexpected home Test series defeat in Pune. With New Zealand ending Day 2 at 198/5, already leading by 301 runs, the situation looks dire for the hosts.

In case India loses this match, it would be their first home series defeat in 12 years, since England triumphed in 2012, under Alastair Cook’s captaincy. This loss would not only break India’s 18 consecutive home series wins but also cast serious doubts over their future performances, particularly with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy(BGT) just around the corner.

Much of the blame for India’s precarious position can be attributed to their wayward batting. Both in the first Test and in the first innings of the second Test, Indian batsmen have played irresponsibly and thrown their wickets cheaply. The result was an embarrassing 46 all out in the first innings of the 1st Test and a meagre 156 in response to New Zealand’s 259 in the second match. Mitchell Santner’s inspired bowling, where he picked up 7 for 53, wreaked havoc on the Indian lineup.

This poor batting performance comes at a time when expectations were sky-high, especially from superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rohit, has been underwhelming throughout this series. His form, along with his captaincy, has come under severe scrutiny. Rohit has struggled to convert starts into big scores, and was out for a duck in the first innings of the Pune Test. Virat Kohli’s form has also been worrying, as he continues to search for consistency. With both stalwarts failing to deliver, India’s batting appears fragile, a key factor contributing to the impending defeat.

Moreover, Rohit’s captaincy has been rather ordinary throughout the series. From choosing to bat in overcast conditions in the first Test at Bengaluru, which saw India crumble for just 46, to questionable field placements in the second Test, his decisions have been baffling. In the ongoing test, Rohit’s defensive field placements allowed the Kiwis to build a sizable first innings total. The inability to exert pressure on New Zealand’s batsmen, further highlighted tactical flaws.

Among a few bright spots in this dismal scene for India has been Washington Sundar. His sevenwicket haul in New Zealand’s first innings gave India some hope, but his efforts have been overshadowed by the team’s collective failure. Even in New Zealand’s second innings, Sundar managed to pick up a couple of crucial wickets, but with a lack of support from the other bowlers, particularly India’s premier spinners Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, New Zealand were able to dictate terms. Now, the Kiwi lead of 301 looks daunting, and given India’s first innings batting collapse, it will need a nearmiracle for a winning comeback by the hosts.

The dominance by the Kiwis has also raised questions about India’s readiness for the BorderGavaskar Trophy next month. Australia will be watching India’s vulnerabilities closely. With Rohit Sharma’s captaincy under fire and the team’s overreliance on a few key players, India will need to reassess their approach. Particularly glaring has been the team’s lack of intensity and failure to capitalize on key moments. New Zealand, on the other hand, has shown how to seize the initiative, with bowlers like Santner stepping up when needed and batsmen like Latham and Blundell keeping the scoreboard ticking.

For Indian fans, the prospect of losing a home series is difficult to digest. Since their last home defeat to England in 2012, India has been almost invincible at home, thanks largely to their dominant spinners and consistent batting. However, this series has shown cracks in their armour. New Zealand, who had traditionally struggled in Indian conditions, have been resilient, disciplined, and tactically astute, leaving India with few answers. The series win, if it happens, will be a huge step for the Kiwis in the race for the WTC finals!

If India goes on to lose this match and the series, it will be a historic defeat, one that will trigger serious introspection ahead of the challenging Aussie assignment. As Day 3 looms, all eyes will be on whether India can salvage this situation for if they succumb, that may be an era-changing defeat which could start the end of the careers of some stalwarts. But if India can still pull off a miracle win, it could light up the national mood for Diwali festivities!

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Siddhaarth Mahan The writer is a specialist on Sports and Cinema who works as an actor in the Hindi film industry