'Mentally draining defeat': Rohit Sharma on India's loss to Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy
PTC Web Desk: Indian captain Rohit Sharma described the 184-run loss against Australia in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as "mentally draining." The defeat leaves India trailing 1-2 in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the final Test set to begin in Sydney on January 3.
“It’s mentally disturbing when you can’t deliver as expected,” Rohit admitted during the post-match conference. Reflecting on the game, he expressed disappointment, saying, “We had them at 90 for six but failed to capitalise. Despite throwing everything at them, their lower-order resilience, especially the last-wicket stand, shifted the game out of our hands.”
India, chasing a daunting target of 340, struggled to build a foundation. “We aimed to set a platform and preserve wickets for the last two sessions but fell short. Credit to their bowlers for executing their plans perfectly,” Rohit said.
He praised Nitish Kumar Reddy’s impressive century in the first innings, noting, “The conditions were challenging, but he showed great character and solid technique. He has the potential to achieve great success at this level.”
The skipper also lauded Jasprit Bumrah for his exceptional bowling performance. “Bumrah has been brilliant as always, leading the attack almost singlehandedly. Unfortunately, he lacked adequate support from the other end,” he added.
Meanwhile, Australian skipper Pat Cummins defended his decision to bat longer in the second innings, emphasising that the strategy aimed to eliminate any chances of an Indian win. He hailed the match as one of the best of his career, applauding the record-breaking crowd at the MCG.
With both teams gearing up for the series decider, the focus now shifts to Sydney for what promises to be a thrilling finale.
- With inputs from agencies
