Questions were raised about the choices made by skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir because neither batter was able to get off the mark. Former India batsman and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik posed some pointed criticism of the team’s management, particularly head coach Gambhir.
At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India had to alter their batting order in the first Test match against New Zealand due to Shubman Gill’s absence. Sarfaraz Khan, who took Gill’s place at No. 4, was assigned there, while Virat Kohli was pushed to No. 3.
Although Karthik declined to defend Kohli for his poor showing in the first innings, in which he hit a nine-ball duck, the former Royal Challengers Bengaluru star believed that the talismanic batsman would be best suited at number four in the batting order.
Virat Kohli is not being shielded by me. His technique and demeanor are reminiscent of some of the best batters in history. If I make a change, it will be because I think the player will perform well there, not to keep Virat Kohli safe. He starts at number three in every ODI and at number four in T20 cricket. You might claim that the ball is different now, not moving as much, and that no. 4 is the ideal position for Virat Kohli in Test cricket.
Personally, I believe that KL Rahul ought to have batted at three. Dinesh Karthik
When the New Zealand seamers had their tails up on a spicy pitch, Karthik praised Kohli for accepting the consequences and going out to bat at No. 3. The wicketkeeper-batter, however, believes that KL Rahul would have been a better option to bat at number three.
Karthik believes that a large portion of the criticism for the home team’s lackluster batting performance on Thursday should also go to Gautam Gambhir.
“It is commendable that Virat Kohli could have simply responded, ‘No, let me bat at four, because you can put Sarfaraz Khan or KL Rahul at three.'” “Okay, I’ll handle that conversation,” Coach would have said. It tells you the mindset that he said, ‘no, I am happy to go at three,'” Karthik added.
“Results are one thing; clearly, he hasn’t had the best day, but I won’t say it was the right choice since there are people in India who are willing to adjust while also respecting the coach’s opinion. For me, it’s still different; I still believe that KL should have batted at three. However, he continued, “I don’t subscribe to Gambhir’s idea that we should all bat in the same order so that their thinking is consistent and the results would finally be known.
Also Read: IND vs NZ 2024: Aakash Chopra backs India to score 400-450 in 2nd innings
Matt Henry scored five runs for India on Day 2, which led to their dismissal for 46. India’s first innings on Day 3 saw New Zealand gain a lead of more than 300 runs, and they will need to perform very well to overcome this deficit.
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