IND vs NZ, Pune Test: Rohit Sharma's struggles with bat sparks meme fest as fans react to continued poor form

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's ongoing struggle with the bat continued in the second Test against New Zealand in Pune on Saturday, leaving fans both frustrated and amused. Following a disappointing outing at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, where he managed only eight runs during India's pursuit to chase a target of 359 to level the series, social media erupted with memes reflecting increasing criticism against the Indian captain.

In the first innings of the Pune Test, Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a duck, falling to NZ pacer Tim Southee just after nine balls. In the second innings, the Indian skipper seemed to start positively after he slammed a boundary on the first ball he faced. However, Mitchell Santner cut short his innings when Rohit Sharma attempted to defend the ball, but found himself caught out after an inside edge landed in the hands of Will Young at short leg.

In the ongoing series, Rohit Sharma has accumulated a mere 62 runs across four innings, averaging 15.50. This follows a similarly disappointing series against Bangladesh, where he scored only 42 runs at an average of 10.50.

In light of his recent struggles, social media has been flooded with memes that humourously express fans' frustrations. "Happy retirement Rohit Sharma," quipped one fan on X, formerly Twitter.

Another fan said, "Again a pathetic performance but you can’t be dropped because you are captain."

A third fan said, "Leave cricket before cricket leaves you."

Here's a look at some of the memes and reactions from fans on Rohit Sharma's continued poor form: