India suffered a second consecutive Test defeat at the Adelaide Oval as Australia registered a massive 10-wicket victory in the day-night affair to level the five-match series 1-1. India posted scores of 180 and 175, which was never going to be enough as Australia almost handed the visitors an innings defeat before Nitish Reddy helped his side earn a slender lead of 18 runs to make the hosts bat for the second time. The defeat meant that India dropped down a couple of places to third on the WTC points table.
Rohit Sharma returned to lead the Indian team in Adelaide after missing the Perth Test and this was the side's fourth consecutive defeat in the format under him. Rohit now has four consecutive defeats as an Indian Test captain, equal to the likes of MS Dhoni (twice), Virat Kohli and Datta Gaekwad. Also, this was Rohit's eighth Test loss as a captain, equal to Sunil Gavaskar. However, under Gavaskar India lost eight out of 47 matches. Rohit has led India only in 22 Test matches.
Indian captains to lose most Test matches
19 losses in 40 matches - Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
18 losses in 60 matches - MS Dhoni
17 losses in 68 matches - Virat Kohli
14 losses in 47 matches - Mohammad Azharuddin
13 losses in 49 matches - Sourav Ganguly
11 losses in 22 matches - Bishan Singh Bedi
9 losses in 25 matches - Sachin Tendulkar
8 losses in 47 matches - Sunil Gavaskar
8 losses in 22 matches - Rohit Sharma*
The scrutiny over Rohit as captain and as a batter has continued to rise after the 3-0 series defeat against New Zealand at home. Rohit had aggregated 91 runs in six innings against New Zealand and was dismissed for 3 and 6 in Adelaide against Australia. With India's WTC final spot in jeopardy and Jasprit Bumrah winning the opening Test match in Perth, Rohit will be under pressure coming into the third Test in Brisbane as India look to storm back into the series.
