New low since 1969 — Rohit Sharma’s ignominious captaincy record in Tests | Cricket News
A damning series defeat — India’s first in 12 years, 18 series — followed further humiliation as Rohit Sharma’s India slumped to a first series whitewash at home since 2000, and a first-ever whitewash in a series with three or more matches, after being trounced 0-3 New Zealand on Friday.
The series has seen plenty of questionable tactical calls from Rohit and coach Gautam Gambhir and sees Rohit cap off the year with an ignominious record. The 37-year-old has now lost four Tests at home in one calendar year, the joint-highest as captain for India in a record that has stood since Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s side lost nine in 1969.
In captaining just 16 Tests at home, Rohit has also now lost the second-most matches in India as skipper with a fifth loss. He is behind only Pataudi, who lost nine including the four in 1969. He overtook both Mohammad Azharuddin and Kapil Dev, both of whom lost four matches in 20 on home soil.
#TeamIndia came close to the target but it’s New Zealand who win the Third Test 25 runs.
Scorecard – https://t.co/KNIvTEyxU7#INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/4BoVWm5HQP
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 3, 2024
Rohit’s record also pales compared to his predecessors since the turn of the millennium, during which time India have built an unflappable reputation for winning Tests at home. Despite captaining nearly double Rohit’s Tests at home, Virat Kohli only lost three of the 31 Tests he oversaw in India. In 30 Tests at home during MS Dhoni’s reign, India also only lost three; while in the 21 Tests that Sourav Ganguly took charge, India also only lost three.
After the defeat in Mumbai, Rohit admitted he was not at his best In the field during this series. “As a captain, I was not at my best in leading the team, and with the bat as well. That is from a personal point of view,” he said in the post-match presentation.
