There was nothing special about the ball that dismissed Rohit Sharma: Dinesh Karthik

During the second Test match between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Day 1, Dinesh Karthik brought up Rohit Sharma’s difficulties against Tim Southee after the latter dismissed him for the fourteenth time in international cricket. India knocked out New Zealand for 259 on Thursday, but Rohit was out for a nine-ball duck in the opening innings.

Along with Kagiso Rabada of South Africa, Rohit has been out to Southee 14 times, which is the joint-most of any bowler. Given his knowledge of the issues he had encountered when playing Southee in the past, Karthik thought Rohit was attempting to bat conservatively against him.

“Southee has had his number quite a few times, and the ball was swinging a little.” In terms of statistics, he has dismissed him 14 times in international cricket. He most likely has a slight advantage against Rohit. The hitter was simply taking his time since he knows that Rohit does not like him as a bowler. Cricbuzz was informed by Karthik that he came out defensive.

There was nothing unique about the ball that got rid of the Indian skipper, according to the former wicketkeeper-batter. It drifted away from the seam and pitched on a good-length section around the centre and off. The ball deflected off Rohit’s back pad and struck the top of his off-stump, catching him entirely squared up in the process.

“For Southee, that was a basic, stock ball. It was nothing spectacular. It did swing somewhat off the stumps, but that’s the norm for skilled international bowlers. He shouldn’t have gone to a ball, but Rohit did. On TV, it might look good. He didn’t play the ball very well. “He wasn’t defending that ball in the best way,” Karthik remarked.

Rohit Sharma’s wild streak in Test cricket is still going strong.

In the previous Test series against Bangladesh, the 37-year-old played four innings and only managed 42 runs. The right-handed batsman was removed after making two runs off of 16 balls in the opening innings of the first Test match against New Zealand. In the second innings, though, he showed promise by coming out with an aggressive approach and hitting eight fours and a six to score a 52 off 63 balls.

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As India attempts to even the score in the three-match series against Tom Latham’s New Zealand, Rohit will aim to recover from being dismissed for a duck in the first innings of the second Test.