Rohit Sharma pinpoints reason for India's mishap in Hyderabad

Despite being in the driver's seat for most of the match, Rohit Sharma and Co failed to step up to the occasion as The Three Lions scripted an emphatic fightback to take a 1-0 series lead.

By Chandra Moulee Das Jan 28, 2024, 21:45 IST

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The Indian team succumbed to a disappointing loss in the first of the five-match Test series in Hyderabad today (January 28) against England. Despite being in the driver's seat for most of the IND vs ENG 1st Test, Rohit Sharma and Co failed to step up to the occasion as The Three Lions scripted an emphatic fightback to take a 1-0 series lead.

Sharing his thoughts about the loss, skipper Rohit Sharma pinpointed the plausible cause, reasoning that India were not "brave enough" in their second innings and they "overall failed as a team" as they went down by 28 runs in Hyderabad.

Rohit Sharma said at the post-match presentation, "When you are put against a wall, you need to show character and you need to be brave enough, which I thought we weren't. We wanted to take some chances… we didn't take chances with the bat. But that can happen."

He added, "Hard to look at one or two things. Overall we failed as a team. I thought after the first innings of their batting and our batting I thought we were very much in the game. We didn't bat well enough to get to that score [in the second innings]."

India squanders strong winning chances

After restricting England to a first-innings total of 246, India took a massive 190-run lead. However, Ollie Pope produced an epic knock of 196 off 278 balls to take The Three Lions to 420 in their second attempt and handed the visitors a 230-run lead, which proved just enough.

This is only the third time overall and the first time at home that India have lost a Test match after securing a first-innings lead in excess of 100 runs.

Despite India reeling at 119 for 7 in the 41st over during the chase, the Indian lower order showed strong nerves to take the battle as deep as possible. KS Bharat and R Ashwin strung a 57-run stand off 130 balls for the eighth wicket, followed by Jasprit Bumrah and No. 11 Mohammed Siraj, who hung around for 37 balls, adding 25 runs.

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However, their efforts could not take the game into the final day with Siraj falling in the last over before stumps to spark celebrations in the England camp.

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