As captain, Rohit faced some significant challenges. Before the Test series against Australia, India suffered their first home Test series defeat in 12 years, losing 0-3 to New Zealand. This was also India's first-ever whitewash in a home Test series since 2000.

Rohit wasn't alone in his struggles during the match. His opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, was dismissed cheaply for just 5 runs, and while Ajinkya Rahane showed some signs of promise, he too was out for just 12. The pressure on Mumbai’s top order continued to mount, with the team facing a tough challenge on the day.