A hallmark of the India innings was that sloppy dismissals allowed the Proteas back into the match with three run outs and a number of loose shots seeing India fall behind their hosts.
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Game, set and series to South Africa… not yet, but very much on the cards.
“We thought the wicket was really flat”. If we had won this, was this the best eleven? Kohli said at the post-match conference. That is why we have got such a big squad.
The batsmen once again flopped with only Rohit Sharma scoring 47. We obviously look at the conditions that we are playing in and we decide as a management group and the captain myself sitting together, that what is the best XI that we can take on the field. “I am abundantly happy for what he has achieved in a short period of time and I believe that he has a lot to offer because he is a special talent and a humble human being”, De Bryun said.
There’s also the significant matter of Parthiv Patel‚ whose glove work has not matured with his age having debuted as a chubby-cheeked 17-year-old against England in 2002. “Beating them in South Africa will be quite satisfying for us. They put bowlers under pressure”, he said.
“We have not come here to play the way we have done”, said India captain Virat Kohli. “That’s something I will be taking up and making sure we can improve”, du Plessis said.
However, the credit totally goes to the debutant Lungi Ngidi who scalped a six-wicket haul in the second innings.
“The moment hasn’t really sunk in”.
“We were not good enough to do that, that’s a different thing”.
“It’s been quick turnaround for me. In the past I didn’t know what I was doing to be honest but now I have found my feet, the right path that I am going down and the right formula for me as a cricketer”. When I got the call out I felt I was in good form. The support was great at my home ground.
He said India’s bowlers had given “110-120 percent” on a slow pitch which had kept low from the first day. I think you could see that in this Test especially. That was helping us and that was our basic game, he added.
The final Test of the three-match series will be played in Johannesburg from January 24 to 28. How many have you won.
Ngidi impressed in the first innings with a direct-hit run-out and some high-paced bowling, even though he only picked up one wicket.
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“We don’t get too disheartened that this didn’t happen”. I can’t speak on behalf of selectors as to what they are thinking. “We kept pushing and we knew anything over 250 would be challenging”. “We’re looking forward to seeing him and KG (Rabada) carry this attack in the future”.
