India batting coach Vikram Rathour hailed the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah after the pacer struck twice late in the day to put India right back in the driver’s seat.
Chasing the target of 305, South Africa finished the day-4 with a score of 94/4, will need another 211 runs on the final day.
The hosts were looking good when skipper Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen denied Indian bowlers a wicket for more than 22 wickets as Bumrah’s spell late in the day turned around things dramatically.
First van der Dussen offered no shot against an incoming delivery from Bumrah which shattered his off stump then the nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj couldn’t do much against a steering yorker by the 28-year old.
“That’s the quality of the bowler, he really set him up well,” said Vikram Rathour, referring to a terrific set-up by Bumrah to dismiss van der Dussen.
“That’s what you expect from somebody like him (Bumrah), But all of us bowled really well. They were bowling really good lines,” he added further.
By dismissing van der Dussen, Bumrah also completed his 100 Test wickets in away games as the pacer played only two games at home in which he picked 4 wickets.
Rathour also defended Virat Kohli for his poor form. Notable that Kohli has been criticized for constantly getting out in the same way i.e chasing a wide ball outside off to be caught in the slip cordon. There is a popular belief that the Indian skipper should refrain to play a cover drive. However, the batting coach thinks otherwise.
“This is the shot which brings him (Kohli) lots of runs and this is his scoring shot. He needs to play that shot and I think it is always your strength that turns out to be your weakness as well. If you don’t play a certain shot, you will never get out playing that shot, isn’t it? You will never score runs on that shot as well,” said Rathour.
“When to play that shot, that’s the part where there are constant discussions. I mean, was it right all and right stage to play that shot? If we can just tighten up our game plans a little more, that will be better. But that’s the shot he (Kohli) plays well and scores loads of runs. He has to carry on playing that shot but he needs to pick better balls, at times,” he added.
There was one famous instance when Sachin Tendulkar didn’t play a single cover drive in his knock of 241* at Sydney 2004 when the legendary batsman was consistently getting out in similar ways. Many cricket experts want Kohli to follow the same template.
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