Cricket

Virat Kohli's batting woes in Test cricket have reached alarming proportions, with the former Indian captain enduring a torrid time at the crease. In the recently concluded second Test against New Zealand, Kohli managed scores of 1 and 17, contributing to India's 113-run defeat.Kohli's struggles have become a major concern for the Indian team, as his presence in the middle order is crucial to their success. The 34-year-old has not scored a Test century since November 2019, and his average has plummeted to 26.50 in the last 10 innings.In a video that went viral on social media, Kohli was seen losing his temper and smashing his bat against a water box while walking back to the pavilion after his dismissal in the second innings. This incident highlights the frustration and pressure that Kohli is currently facing.India's defeat in the second Test marked their first Test series loss on home soil in over a decade. New Zealand's victory was largely due to the brilliance of left-arm spinner Mitchel Santner, who took 13 wickets in the match, including seven in the first innings.Santner's performance exposed India's vulnerability against high-quality spin bowling. The Indian batsmen, once regarded as the finest players of spin in the world, were outfoxed by Santner's variations and accuracy.The defeat ended India's run of 18 consecutive Test series wins at home. It was only the fourth time since 2000 that India had lost a Test series in their own territory.Kohli's poor form and India's Test series loss have raised questions about the team's future. The Indian team management will need to find a way to address Kohli's batting woes and improve their performance against spin bowling if they want to regain their dominance in Test cricket.

New Zealand's historic Test series victory in India, their first-ever on Indian soil, is a testament to their resilience, adaptability, and exceptional bowling performance. Led by captain Tom Latham, the Kiwis overcame challenging conditions and a formidable Indian team to secure a decisive 113-run triumph in the second Test in Pune.Latham's leadership was crucial throughout the series. He emphasized the importance of putting up runs early in the innings, a strategy that proved effective as New Zealand consistently set competitive totals. He also praised the exceptional bowling of Mitchell Santner, who claimed 13 wickets in the match and played a vital role in restricting India's batting.The varied conditions across the two Tests required New Zealand to adapt their approach. Latham commended his team's ability to adjust, saying, "Both surfaces were different, and we had to adapt, which we did very well."In the second Test, New Zealand's aggressive play on the third day allowed them to control the game. Latham explained, "The method we played with last night to put ourselves on the front foot was terrific."India, led by Rohit Sharma, presented a tough challenge, especially in the final session. However, New Zealand's bowlers remained disciplined and patient, eventually breaking through. Latham recounted the intensity of the final moments, saying, "Those last two wickets seemed to take forever, but when Tim took that catch, we were thrilled."This victory underscores a collective team effort, smart tactics, and adaptability, securing New Zealand's place in the record books with a series win in one of the most challenging cricketing environments worldwide.

India's Test series loss to New Zealand has raised concerns, but captain Rohit Sharma remains optimistic. Despite the disappointing defeat, Sharma believes there is no need for panic.India's 12-year home Test series winning streak came to an end with New Zealand's 113-run victory in the second Test. Mitchell Santner's 13-wicket haul played a crucial role in the Kiwis' triumph.Sharma acknowledged the team's recent struggles but emphasized the need to stay calm and focus on improvement. "We've had a great run for 12 years, and we've done great things during this period," he said. "We will think about what we didn't do well and what we can improve, but I don't need to open a medical kit and start doing things differently."India's defeat has impacted their World Test Championship (WTC) standings. They now lead Australia by a mere 0.32 percentage points. However, Sharma believes it's premature to focus on the WTC."It's too early to think of WTC," he said. "I am hurting because we lost the game. I can't think of what lies ahead and whether it affects our chances. I am hurting because we lost the series."Sharma highlighted the team's collective responsibility for the defeat. "If you lose a Test, it is because the collective unit failed," he said. "If you win, everyone deserves credit. If you lose, everyone needs to take the blame."Despite the setback, Sharma remains confident in the team's abilities. "We have won 18 series in a row at home," he said. "We have done a good job. In this series, we didn't bat as well as required. These things happen."Sharma emphasized the importance of trusting the team's plans and processes. "The New Zealand batters showed that," he said. "We used to do that. So, yeah, it happens."

India's Test dominance at home has been shattered by New Zealand, who secured their first-ever series victory on Indian soil in nearly 70 years. The crushing 113-run defeat in the second Test in Mumbai has exposed India's vulnerability against quality spin bowling, particularly against Mitchell Santner.Rohit Sharma, India's captain, expressed disappointment after the loss, acknowledging that his team failed to respond to the challenges posed by New Zealand. "We failed to capitalize on certain moments and respond to those challenges," Sharma said. "We didn't bat well enough to get runs on the board."Santner's dominance was evident throughout the match, as he claimed 13 wickets, including seven in the first innings. India's batters, once considered the best players of spin bowling, struggled against Santner's variations.In pursuit of 359, India's batting collapsed once again. Only Yashasvi Jaiswal (77) and Ravindra Jadeja (42) offered any resistance, as the hosts were bowled out for 245.This defeat marks India's first Test series loss at home since 2012-13, when England vanquished them. It is also only their fourth Test series defeat in their own backyard since the turn of the century.The Kiwis' victory has broken India's string of 18 consecutive Test series wins at home. It is a significant achievement for New Zealand, who have been touring India since 1955 but had never been able to break the Indian citadel.India will now look to salvage some pride in the third and final Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, they will need to address their batting frailties and find a way to counter Santner's spin if they want to avoid a series whitewash.

India's recent 113-run defeat to New Zealand in the Pune Test has raised concerns about the team's batting performance. Captain Rohit Sharma has identified the batters' inability to match New Zealand's first-innings total of 259 as the primary reason for the loss.Mitchell Santner's exceptional bowling performance, with 7 for 53 in the first innings and 6 for 104 in the second, played a significant role in India's collapse to 156 all out in their first innings. This deficit of 103 runs put India on the back foot for the remainder of the match.Despite a promising start in the second innings, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a brisk 77 off 65 balls, India fell short of the target of 359. Rohit acknowledged the team's failure to put up a competitive score in the first innings."We didn't put enough runs on the board in the first innings, and then we were behind in the game," Rohit said. "We came out thinking that we can chase that target, but again, the continuous pressure from both ends meant that we were not able to respond to those challenges."While the pitch conditions were challenging, Rohit believes that India's bowlers did a commendable job in restricting New Zealand to 259. However, he emphasized that the batters needed to step up and contribute more runs."We just didn't bat well enough," Rohit said. "Had we gotten closer to that score of first innings, things would have been slightly different."With the series deficit at 2-0, India faces the daunting task of preventing a whitewash in the third Test in Mumbai. They also need to secure enough points in the remaining matches to stay in contention for the World Test Championship final next year.Rohit remains optimistic about the team's ability to bounce back. "We want to show up well at Wankhede and try and win that Test match," he said. "Not thinking too far ahead. It's important that we focus on our next game, what better we can do as a unit because it's a collective failure."

India's World Test Championship (WTC) aspirations have suffered a significant setback following their historic home series defeat to New Zealand. After losing the first Test in Pune, India succumbed to a 113-run defeat in the second Test, marking their first home Test series loss since 2012.The second Test witnessed India collapsing to 245 all out in their second innings, handing New Zealand a series victory. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's valiant 77 off 65 balls, India crumbled under the relentless pressure of Mitchell Santner, who claimed 13 wickets over two innings. A promising 62-run stand between Jaiswal and Shubman Gill had raised hopes, but New Zealand's disciplined bowling proved too much for the Indian batting lineup.India's position in the WTC standings has taken a hit. Before the second match, Rohit Sharma's team led the table with a percentage (PCT) of 68.06. However, back-to-back losses to New Zealand have dropped their PCT to 62.82, narrowing their path to the final. Australia sit close behind at 62.50, followed by Sri Lanka at 55.56.To stay on course for the WTC final at Lord's next summer, India must perform impeccably in their remaining fixtures. They have one more match against New Zealand before heading to Australia for a crucial five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Winning at least four of these six remaining games will give them a strong chance of securing a spot in the final.However, if India falter, they'll have to rely on favourable outcomes from other series. Australia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa's upcoming clashes will heavily influence India's prospects. Notably, Sri Lanka's matches against Australia and South Africa could make or break India's hopes.Though the road ahead is steep, India remain in the hunt. Success against Australia will be critical if they aim to reach their third consecutive WTC final. The team now faces the challenge of rediscovering form and maintaining consistency under pressure.

New Zealand's historic Test series triumph in India has sent shockwaves through the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings, casting doubt on India's hopes of reaching a third consecutive WTC final.India's 0-1 series defeat to the Black Caps has left them precariously perched atop the WTC table with 62.82 percentage points, a mere 0.32 points ahead of Australia. This setback has significantly diminished India's chances of securing a direct berth in the 2025 WTC final.The WTC standings are now wide open, with several teams vying for the top two spots. South Africa, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand are all within striking distance of India and Australia. The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia has become even more crucial for India, as they will likely need to win the series to ensure their place in the final.New Zealand's victory has propelled them to fourth place in the WTC standings with 50.00 percentage points, overtaking South Africa. Sri Lanka remains in third place with 55.56 points.Meanwhile, Pakistan's decisive nine-wicket victory over England in the third Test in Rawalpindi has moved them up to seventh place with 33.33 points. England, who lost the series 2-1, now sit just above Pakistan with 40.79 points.India's hopes of reaching the WTC final now hinge on their performance in the third and final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai, starting November 1. A win is imperative for India to maintain their chances of qualifying for the final.The WTC standings are set to undergo further changes in the coming months, with several key series scheduled to take place. The outcome of these series will determine which teams will ultimately qualify for the 2025 WTC final.

New Zealand has made history by securing their first-ever Test series victory in India. After seven decades of waiting, the Black Caps have finally triumphed in emphatic fashion, dominating the hosts for the second consecutive week.India's 12-year-long unbeaten series record at home has been shattered. The World Test Championship final spot is now in jeopardy, and the team faces a mountain of questions before heading to Mumbai for the Diwali Test.New Zealand's dominance began in the first Test in Bengaluru, where they won after 36 years. In the second Test in Pune, the Kiwis thrashed India by 113 runs, completing a comprehensive victory.This is the first Test series loss for India at home in 12 years. The team has won 18 consecutive Test series, a remarkable streak that has now come to an end.After winning the toss and electing to bat first, New Zealand posted a competitive 259, thanks to half-centuries from Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65).India's response was feeble, as they were dismissed for a paltry 156. Mitchell Santner proved to be the nemesis for the Indian batsmen, claiming seven wickets in the first innings.New Zealand's captain, Tom Latham, led from the front in the second innings, scoring a brilliant 86 to take the team's lead past 300. Tom Blundell remained unbeaten on 30, ensuring a commanding position for the Kiwis.Washington Sundar, who replaced Kuldeep Yadav in the second Test, bowled superbly and took his career-best 7 for 59. Ravichandran Ashwin also contributed with three wickets.In the first Test at Bengaluru, Indian batsmen succumbed to New Zealand's pace bowling, posting their lowest total at home of 46. In the second Test, they fell prey to the guile of Mitchell Santner (7 for 53), who dismissed them for 156, giving New Zealand a crucial 103-run lead.In the second innings, New Zealand's Tom Latham played some brilliant shots to score 86. Tom Blundell (41) and Glenn Phillips (48 not out) contributed to give a massive lead of 358 for India. Chasing a target of 359, India were on the backfoot with the dismissal of their captain Rohit Sharma for just 8. But Yashasvi Jaiswal (77) and Shubman Gill (23) played positive cricket to lift Indian hopes. However, the quick dismissal of Jaiswal and Gill opened the gates for New Zealand bowlers, particularly Mitchell Santner.Mitchell Santner played a crucial role in New Zealand's second Test win. Santner took 13 wickets in this match and scored crucial runs in the first innings.

Virat Kohli's Unfortunate Dismissal Sparks Sympathy from FansIndian cricket star Virat Kohli's dismissal on Day 3 of the second Test against New Zealand in Pune has drawn widespread sympathy from fans. With India chasing a mammoth target of 359, Kohli's presence at the crease was crucial. However, a brilliant delivery from Mitchell Santner ended his innings prematurely.Santner's delivery zipped off the surface and struck Kohli in front of the leg stump. Umpire Richard Illingworth raised his finger, prompting Kohli to review the decision. However, ball tracking showed that the ball would have clipped the leg stump, upholding the on-field call.Kohli's disappointment was evident as he hesitated to leave the field. Fans took to social media to express their sympathy for the Indian batter, labeling him as the "unluckiest cricketer of all time.""Umpires call never favored Kohli," tweeted one fan. "Most unluckiest cricketer ever."Another fan commented, "How unlucky this man is... Umpire is always ready to raise his finger when it comes to Virat Kohli."Kohli's dismissal left India in a precarious position, with the hosts struggling at 178-7 at tea. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were at the crease, but India faced an uphill battle to avoid their first Test series defeat at home since 2012.Meanwhile, Santner continued to torment the Indian batting lineup, taking five wickets on Day 3. His performance put New Zealand on the verge of their first Test series win in India.