Indian captain Rohit Sharma has revealed that the team management will analyze the team’s performance and have a discussion with the players before heading into the second test against South Africa. In the first test, the Men in Blue were outplayed, failing to perform with both bat and ball in Centurion.
It was one of India’s weakest Test performances in recent years as they were outperformed by South Africa with both bat and ball, leading to a 32-run loss by an innings. The hosts put the visitors on the back foot from Day 1, in tough batting conditions. South Africa scored a total of 408 runs in the 1st innings, led by Dean Elgar’s 185 and gritty half-centuries from David Bedingham and Marco Jansen.
Speaking at the post-match conference, Rohit Sharma said that the team would analyze their performance in the first test, and believes that the wicket in Centurion was not a 400-run wicket. He added that the Indian bowlers conceded too many easy runs in the game and that the team has a lot to learn from the South African bowlers.
“We’re going to go and analyse and think what went wrong and talk to individuals, but it’s important to leave a loss like this here and not take it with us to Cape Town. This wasn’t a 400-run wicket.”
“The way the wicket was behaving, we conceded a lot of runs. It happens. We can’t depend on just one bowler. It’s important that the other three bowlers also do well. The way the opposition bowled, there’s a lot to learn from that,” Rohit Sharma said.
India’s bowling has rarely presented such a bleak picture in overseas conditions. Their indiscipline throughout the hours spent bowling at the South Africans was so clear that Rohit Sharma’s normally expressive face did nothing but stare blankly in disbelief. Only 164 runs were scored by rushing between wickets and extras, whereas South Africa scored 244 runs through boundaries.
It Didn’t Happen The Way We Would’ve Wanted To – Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma believes that Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian speedster, has bowled exceptionally well for the team. However, he didn’t find support from the other end throughout the game, and he feels that the other Indian bowlers failed to utilize the conditions. He backs them to come good in the next game against South Africa.
“Bumrah bowled well. All he wanted was a bit of support from the other end, which he didn’t get. That happens. All the other three bowlers were trying very hard, bending their backs, but it just didn’t work out. It didn’t happen the way we would’ve wanted to”.
“But again, games like these teach what you need to do as a bowling group. Hopefully, they understand what went wrong and try and come back stronger in the next game,” Rohit Sharma added.