Captain Rohit Sharma has had his fair share of forgettable moments in 2024. Although he led India to the T20 World Cup 2024 after a gap of more than 17 years, the rest of the year has been a disappointing one for him.
India were brilliant in reaching the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 final under Rohit Sharma’s leadership at home, going unbeaten till they lost to Australia in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad by six wickets. But in the same format in the subsequent year, that is 2024, they did not win a single match.
India started playing ODI cricket some 50 years back in 1974 and only three times before 2024 when they haven’t won a single match in 50-over cricket in a year. It happened in 1974, 1976 and 1979. In between they played 1975 and 1978 and won match each.
Since then in the last 45 years, Team India have managed to win at least one ODI match in a year. Although it has to be remembered that India played in only 3 50-over matches in 2024, they failed to win all of them.
All three ODI of India were against Sri Lanka. India were close to winning the first ODI in Colombo with 1 run needed to win 14 balls but all-rounder Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh were dismissed as the game ended in a tie with Rohit Sharma’s side failing to chase down 231 to win.
In the next two ODI matches, Sri Lanka under head coach Sanath Jayasuriya dominated the ODI World Cup 2023 finalists. India lost the second ODI by 32 runs, failing to chase 241 to win with Lankan leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay picking up a career-best 6/33 in 10 overs. Skipper Rohit top-scored with 64 off 44 balls as India were bowled out for 208.
In the third and final ODI, they were more dismal as Rohit’s side were bundled out for just 138 to lose by 110 runs. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage picked up 5/27 as India failed to chase down 249 to win. Rohit once again top-scored with 35 but rest of the batters simply crumbled.
It was India’s first ODI series loss to Sri Lanka since 1997. But there was more humiliation in store for Rohit Sharma.
HISTORY MADE! Sri Lanka defeats India by 110 runs, clinching the ODI series 2-0! This marks our first ODI series victory against India since 1997! A phenomenal team effort. What a moment for Sri Lankan cricket! #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/UY842zKoTb
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) August 7, 2024
Tom Latham’s New Zealand side completed a stunning 3-0 whitewash of India in a Test series on Indian home soil. Not only was it New Zealand’s first-ever series win over India, it was the first time that India were whitewashed in a Test series at home in three Tests or more.
