3rd Test: I was not at my best in leading the team and in batting as well, admits Rohit Sharma

Mumbai: Following New Zealand’s triumphant 3-0 series win over India with a 25-run victory in the third Test, hosts’ captain Rohit Sharma admitted he was not at his best in both leading the team and batting during the entire series.

Chasing 147 on day three’s play at the Wankhede Stadium, India were reduced to 29/5, before Rishabh Pant waged a lone battle with a 57-ball 64. But once he fell, New Zealand got to win the match, with left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel talking 6-57, after picking 5-103 in first innings.

It marks the first time India have suffered a clean sweep in a Test series at home since South Africa’s 2-0 win in 1999/2000. It’s also the first-ever 3-0 clean sweep for India at home in a three-match series and beyond.

“Losing a series, a Test match, is never easy… something that is not easily digestable. We didn’t play our best cricket, NZ played better throughout the series. There were a lot of mistakes we did.

“This was an unfortunate series where we tried certain things that did not come off. I was not at my best as captain in leading the team as well as with the bat. Collectively as a unit we failed to perform,” said a disappointed Rohit in the post-match presentation ceremony.

India lost first Test in Bengaluru by eight wickets, before losing by 113 runs in Pune and now suffered a 25-run defeat in Mumbai. “The first two Tests we did not put enough runs in the first innings. This game we got the 30 runs (28) lead and the target was chaseable. We failed as a unit,” added Rohit.

The weakness of India’s batting, especially against spinners, came to the fore yet again. Rash shot selection, inability to apply themselves to play for a long time and being outclassed by the spin bowlers – nothing went right for the Indian batting line-up to reach their lowest point in Test cricket.

“When you are chasing a target like that, you want runs on the board. That was in my mind and it did not come of. When it does not come off it does not look great. I go in with certain plans and those did not come off this series.

“We did not play our best cricket in these conditions and are facing the result of that. Pant, Gill, Washington showed how to bat on those surfaces. You have to be proactive, last three-four years we have been playing on pitches like that,” concluded Rohit.

–IANS