We won four against England after losing first Test, says skipper Rohit Sharma
Bengaluru (PTI): Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is confident that his team will bounce back from the eight-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the opening Test by winning the next two games, just like it won four on trot against England earlier this year.
India paid the price for getting all out for 46 in the first innings, their lowest-ever total at home, despite special efforts from Sarfaraz Khan (150) and Rishabh Pant (99) in the second essay.
Rachin Ravindra was regal in both innings as he nullified India's ace spinners with ease.
"Games like these happen. We will move forward. We lost a game against England and won four games after that. We know exactly what is needed from each one of us," Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony here on Sunday.
He had been upfront in admitting that he read the conditions wrong but having said that, he never thought India would be bowled out for 46.
"I said in my press conference that we knew it will be sticky early on but we didn't expect to be out for 46. New Zealand bowled well and we failed to respond to that," Rohit said.
For the skipper, the silver lining was Sarfaraz and Pant's approach in the second innings where India scored 462 to set a target of 107.
"It was a good effort with the bat in the second innings. We didn't bat well in the first innings. So we knew what was ahead and couple of guys stood out.
"When you are 350 behind you can't think too much about it, just got to see the ball and bat. Couple of partnerships were really exciting to watch. We could have easily been bowled out cheaply but proud of the effort."
He was really happy that the young duo batted only in the manner they know.
"Everyone is on the edge of the seat when those two bat. Rishabh left a few balls and then played shots. Sarfaraz showed great maturity as well."
Practising on red and black soil in Chennai helped
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Rachin Ravindra is a Chennai Super 'King' and no wonder the city gave him ample opportunity to bat on red and black soil tracks in order to prepare for Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
Ravindra's superb 134 off 157 in the first innings was largely responsible for New Zealand enjoying a 350-run lead and then he scored 39 not out in a tricky chase to earn the Player of the Match award.
"As long as I am clear and know my plan, it helps. Knowing when to go forward or back helps. Was trying to get a feel of different pitches while preparing in Chennai, red and black soil. Netted everyday, invaluable experience," Ravindra said.
"I try to be in good positions to be able to score, open up areas. Want to rotate strike too, not necessarily attack."
Ravindra's grandparents still live in Bengaluru and it was a special effort in front of his family members with his father in the stands.
"It's a nice city, was a nice wicket to bat on. Having family is emotional, phone starts blowing up, crowd too. Makes it even more special."
New Zealand skipper Tom Latham conceded that it was a good toss to lose taking conditions into account.
"I thought we'd bat, good toss to lose in the end. Guys put the ball in the right areas for a long time in the first innings and got rewards," Latham, only the third Black Caps skipper after Graham Dowling (1969) and John Wright (1988) to win a Test in India, said.
"I knew India would come back and they did but our bowlers showed up with the second ball. We know what a quality side India are, we thought the new ball would help them too, built a couple of big partnerships, hundred stand got us forward."
The skipper was all praise for William O'Rourke, who took seven wickets in the match.
"O'Rourke has been fantastic, has hit the international stage like he belongs. Hits the pitch hard and gets it to move in the air and off the pitch. Hard to face him in the nets.
"(Tim) Southee and (Matt) Henry too. Southee's partnership with Rachin was crucial. Rachin - a young guy who's played a few Tests, but he's slotted into a new role nicely over the last year. He settled the nerves with his batting today."
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Woman in Himachal Pradesh bullies Kashmiri shawl sellers, video turns up on X
Shimla, Nov 25: A woman claiming to be a panchayat official was caught on camera warning two shawl sellers from Kashmir against trading their wares in Himachal Pradesh.
The 2.46-minute video that surfaced on social media showed the woman telling the two Kashmiris not to come to the village and asking them to say "Jai Shri Ram" to prove they are "Hindustani."
Sharing the video on X on Monday, National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, Nasir Khuehami, claimed that the video was from a village in Himachal's Hamirpur district.
"No one will purchase their products, buy from our Hindu people," the woman is seen telling others in the video. "Don't come in my area," she told shawl sellers.
Later in a post, Khuehami said that the chief minister's office had assured action against anyone found intimidating Kashmiris.
However, when contacted, the CM's media advisor Naresh Chauhan told the PTI that there was no such complaint. The matter would be looked into if any complaint is registered, he said.
A large number of Kashmiris come to the state to sell shawls and other products, while hundreds of Kashmiris labourers work in the state round the year.
It is highly condemnable that a woman, wife of a Sarpanch, is exhibiting communal behavior toward two Kashmiri men who traveled to Himachal Pradesh for business purposes. Her communal actions, as seen in the video, where she threatens them to leave the state, instructs villagers… pic.twitter.com/IIw2dkZPGt
— Nasir Khuehami (ناصر کہویہامی) (@NasirKhuehami) November 25, 2024
