Virat Kohli faced disappointment in India's opening Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, as he was dismissed for a duck after returning to the No. 3 batting position for the first time in eight years. His brief innings ended after just nine balls when William O’Rourke claimed the prized wicket of the former captain. This marked a challenging return for Kohli, who has struggled in this batting position historically, with only 97 runs from six matches at an average of 16.16. His highest score at No. 3 remains a modest 41, achieved against Australia in 2013 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, explained the rationale behind Kohli's promotion in the batting order, emphasizing that the team wanted to maintain stability for KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan, who have been performing well in their respective positions. "Yes, he is a local boy. So he has to bat at 3?" Rohit humorously remarked during the post-match press conference. He expressed confidence in the experienced players taking on greater responsibilities, noting that Kohli was willing to step up to the challenge this time.
Rohit elaborated on the batting order decisions, stating, "We asked him whether he could bat at No. 3. Sarfaraz, we also wanted to give him the position that he usually bats—4, 5, and 6. We didn't want to change Rishabh and KL. Hence, Sarfaraz went at No. 4, and Virat batted at No. 3. It's a good sign when players come up and take responsibility and own up to the challenge."
The day did not go well for the Indian batting lineup, which endured a torrid time on the first day of the Test match. Opting to bat first, the home team was bowled out for a meager total of 46 runs in just 31.2 overs. Apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who managed to score 13 runs, and Rishabh Pant, who contributed 20 runs, none of the Indian batters reached double digits.Â
At the end of the day, Rohit admitted that the team misjudged the conditions of the pitch. "We thought it wouldn't help seamers much after the first session or so. There wasn't much grass either. We thought it would be flat. It was a misjudgment, and I couldn't read the pitch well," he reflected. This miscalculation contributed to India's dismal performance on Day 1.
As the match progressed into Day 2, New Zealand was trailing by 134 runs with seven wickets remaining in their first innings, indicating that they had an opportunity to take control of the match. The early dismissal of Kohli added to the mounting pressure on the Indian team as they sought to recover from their poor start. The overall performance raised concerns among fans and analysts about India's batting resilience and adaptability in challenging conditions, especially with a significant series ahead.
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