The Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune buzzed with energy as fans celebrated the return of Test cricket after five long years. The Indian team faced New Zealand in the second Test, hoping to bounce back after losing the first match in Bangalore. Amidst all that, Rohit Sharma’s fans chanted “Mumbai cha raja” for the Indian skipper to motivate him.
Pune Filled with Rohit Sharma Chants
Test cricket last graced Pune in 2019 when India played against South Africa. In that match, India secured a commanding victory by an innings and 137 runs. Virat Kohli earned the Player of the Match award for his remarkable score of 224 runs. Rohit Sharma participated in that game, contributing 14 runs. This marked his only previous appearance at this venue in Test cricket.
Fans were eager to witness their favourite stars in action once again, and the atmosphere was electric as they filled the stands. As the players took the field, chants of “Rohit, Rohit” and “Mumbai cha raja Rohit Sharma” echoed throughout the stadium. Rohit Sharma, captain of Team India and a proud son of Maharashtra, was clearly the crowd favourite. The incident caught the immediate attention of fans on social media and the video quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter).
Watch the viral moment here:
New Zealand Wins Toss and Chooses to Bat in Second Test
New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and opted to bat first. The decision came despite missing key player Matt Henry due to injury. Latham noted that the pitch appeared different from last week’s conditions, suggesting it might produce some spin as the match progressed.
“We’re going to have a bat,” Latham stated during the toss. “The surface is slightly different from what it was last week. Not a lot of grass. It might produce a bit of spin as we expect when we come to these parts of the world.”
Rohit Sharma’s Strategy and Team Changes
Rohit Sharma echoed Latham’s sentiments about batting first but acknowledged his team’s need for improvement. “I would’ve batted as well,” he said. “In our last Test, we struggled early but batted well in the second innings.”
He highlighted the importance of making a strong start in this match. The Indian team made three changes for this game: Akash Deep, Washington Sundar, and Shubman Gill replaced Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, and Kuldeep Yadav. “The pitch is a little drier,” Rohit remarked.
As play unfolded, New Zealand scored 49 runs for the loss of one wicket after 14 overs. Ravichandran Ashwin made an early breakthrough by trapping Tom Latham in front of the stumps, sending him back for just 12 runs.
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