Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Following India’s 10-wicket defeat to Australia in the second pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, Rohit Sharma addressed the reasons behind his team’s loss and shared his thoughts ahead of the upcoming third Test at Brisbane.
Australia’s Dominance Secures Series Lead
Travis Head’s stunning century, combined with impressive performances from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins with the ball, led Australia to a commanding 10-wicket win. This victory saw Australia reclaim the top spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC25) standings.
Rohit Admits to Underperformance
Rohit Sharma was candid about his team’s shortcomings, emphasizing that India failed to replicate their success from the opening Test in Perth. He praised Australia for taking their chances and highlighted areas where India fell short.
“A disappointing week for us, we didn’t play well, and Australia played better cricket than us and won the Test match. We failed to grab our opportunities. We didn’t bat well enough, probably 30-40 runs short with the bat in the first innings. There were opportunities when Australia were batting and we failed to take those chances. When you miss those chances, it’s never easy,” Rohit remarked in the post-match press conference, as quoted by the ICC.
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Pink Ball Poses Mental Challenge
The Indian skipper acknowledged the difficulties that come with adapting to pink-ball conditions but refused to use it as an excuse for the defeat.
“You know when you come to Australia, you have to play a pink-ball Test. You have to be mentally ready to bat under different conditions. It can be difficult but that cannot be an excuse. The conditions are for both teams, they batted well and got the runs. We didn’t bat well enough to get enough runs,” said Rohit.
Eyes Set on the Gabba for a Strong Comeback
Looking ahead to the third Test at the Gabba, Rohit maintained an optimistic outlook. He recalled the team’s successful history at the iconic Brisbane venue and expressed confidence in bouncing back.
“We are looking forward to it (Gabba Test). Some really good memories there. We want to start well and play well. There’s not much time in between as well. You know we just want to go out there and think about what we did right, you know in Perth and also what we did last time when we were here,” the 37-year-old added.
Historic Gabba Moment Adds Motivation
The last time India played a Test at the Gabba, they created history with Rishabh Pant’s memorable unbeaten 89*—a stunning chase that saw them defeat Australia by 2-1 in the series and handed Australia their first loss at the venue since 1988. That moment remains a significant morale booster as India heads back to Brisbane with hopes of repeating past successes.
