Shaun Pollock, the former South African all-rounder ex-captain feels that the India batters were a little ‘overconfident’ which resulted in their collapse on the third day of the ongoing Boxing Day Test in Centurion. On Tuesday, India resumed innings on 272 for 3 but they lost all the remaining seven wickets for just 55 runs.

Following their batting show on an opening day, it was expected that tourists might pile up around 400 runs in the first innings. However, the likes of Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada ran through the Indian batting line-up and bundled them out for 327.

South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi (AP Photo)

Shaun Pollock Reckons That It’s Concerning That Someone Can’t Stop The Fall Of Indian Wickets

The middle-order is once again under the scanner following another paltry performance on Tuesday. Shaun Pollock was of the opinion that none of the batters took the initiative to avoid the collapse.

“I think it’s always concerning that someone can’t stop the rut. You can always lose 2-3 wickets but the fact that someone can’t stop it is a little bit of a concern…,” said Shaun Pollock.

“Mindset wise the conundrum for a coach is you never want to… overtalk about how things could or couldn’t go wrong [but] you just think maybe Rahul Dravid was tempted at the start of play on Day 3 to say, ‘Listen, guys, we batted superbly on Day 1 but let’s not take it for granted. Let’s apply ourselves, let’s really get stuck in, let’s build it from the beginning once again,'” said Shaun Pollock.

“I think it was a case of maybe they (the batters) were slightly overconfident coming onto the crease and then a combination of your lower-order – Ashwin, Thakur, Shami, Bumrah, Siraj… those guys haven’t had much time in the middle, they need a little bit of game time, additional practices and maybe were just short of a gallop,” Shaun Pollock said.

Despite the sudden fall of the batting line-up, India didn’t lose the grip on the game as they bowled out the hosts for just 197, taking a 146-run lead in the second innings by stumps on day 3. Mohammad Shami (16-5-44-5) and his pace bowling colleagues Jasprit Bumrah (7.2-2-16-2), Mohammed Siraj (15.1-3-45-1), and Shardul Thakur (11-1-51-2) further enhanced their reputation as world-beaters by dismissing the Proteas for mere 197.

South Africa Missed Anrich Nortje And Duanne Olivier

Like in 2018 against India, Lungi Ngidi took a five-for to lead South Africa’s fightback on Day 2 of the Centurion Test, but the hosts missed the injured Anrich Nortje and Duanne Olivier. It took the home side all of 84 minutes on the third morning of the opening Test to run through India’s batting, bowling them out for 327 in their first innings. India’s lost seven wickets for 55 runs, having resumed on their robust first-day score of 272/3.

The two quicks Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada bowled almost half the first innings overs—50 of the total 105.3 overs—and shared nine of the wickets. But they were leading a bowling attack that otherwise carried no real venom. The X factor Anrich Nortje would have provided with his express pace—he is nursing an injury—was sorely missed. The in-form fast bowler Duanne Olivier, back in the mix, was reportedly not match-fit.

Mohammad Shami bagged a five-wicket haul, the sixth in his career, helping India bundle out the hosts for 197. Mohammad Shami is now the 11th Indian bowler to pick up 200 or more wickets and only the fifth fast bowler to reach the milestone. India had bundled out South Africa for 197 in the third session before the hosts lost Mayank Agarwal’s wicket minutes before the end of the play.