Rohit Sharma found himself under fire from fans following India's eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the first Test of the three-match series in Bengaluru. The loss marked India's first home defeat after six consecutive victories and left them in a challenging position for World Test Championship qualification.
India's performance saw two major batting collapses. The hosts were bowled out for their lowest-ever home score of 46 in the first innings, while a promising second-innings recovery ended abruptly, as they collapsed from 408 for three to 462 all out in just 15.3 overs.
Rohit admitted his misjudgment regarding the pitch conditions at Chinnaswamy Stadium, which remained covered after heavy rain in the lead-up to the match. India opted to bat first and fielded three spinners, a move that backfired. Critics also pointed out tactical mistakes, particularly in under-utilising Ravichandran Ashwin and over-bowling Mohammed Siraj on the final day.
Following the defeat, social media erupted with criticism, and 'Clueless Rohit Sharma' trended on X (formerly Twitter). Fans compared his leadership to Virat Kohli’s, highlighting that India lost only two Tests in 31 matches under Kohli between 2015 and 2021, while under Rohit, the team has already lost three in 14 matches since 2022.
Despite the criticism, Rohit remained optimistic about a turnaround, drawing parallels to India’s comeback against England earlier this year, saying, "We will take the positives and move forward."