Rohit Sharma Reflects on India’s Defeat in Boxing Day Test, Acknowledges Missed Opportunities
Melbourne, Dec 30: After a crushing 184-run defeat to Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, India’s captain Rohit Sharma expressed disappointment over his team’s inability to put up a strong fight in the final innings. Despite a solid start on day five, India crumbled after losing their last seven wickets for just 34 runs, handing Australia a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Rohit admitted that while the team had the intent to fight until the end, they fell short. “It is pretty disappointing. It’s not that we went in with the intent of giving up the fight. We wanted to fight till the end, and unfortunately, we couldn’t do it,” he said during the post-match presentation. Rohit also reflected on India’s missed chances earlier in the match, particularly when Australia was reduced to 90/6 in their second innings. “We had Australia 90 for 6. We know things can get tough, but we want to play tough cricket from hard situations. We were not good enough,” he added.
India’s pursuit of the 340-run target on the final day was derailed by early wickets, with the team losing three key batsmen in the morning session, including Rohit Sharma himself for just nine runs. The dismissal of Rishabh Pant, coupled with a collapse in the middle and lower order, led to a swift conclusion to the match. Rohit admitted that while India had hoped for a successful chase, the lack of a solid foundation and Australia’s clinical bowling led to their downfall. “We wanted to go for the target, but we didn’t set the platform from our side. There are ways to win games, and we fell short in finding ways to win games,” he said.
Despite the heavy defeat, Rohit highlighted the positive performances, notably Nitish Kumar Reddy’s 114-run knock in the first innings. “He’s got everything to be successful at this level. I hope he goes from strength to strength,” he said, praising the young player for showing resilience in tough conditions. Rohit also lauded the efforts of Jasprit Bumrah, who took nine wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the third innings, bringing his series tally to 30 wickets. “Absolutely brilliant! He’s not a statistical person; he just wants to play for the country and do well for the team,” Rohit concluded.
With India facing a 2-1 deficit in the series, the team will look to regroup and come back stronger in the remaining matches.
