IND vs SA, 1st Test: ‘We Didn’t Adapt Well’, Admits Rohit Sharma After Humiliating Loss In Centurion
Centurion: India captain Rohit Sharma admitted the bowlers didn’t exploit the conditions as they should have and the batters, save KL Rahul, weren’t up to the mark after the visitors lost the first Test inside three days by an innings and 32 runs in Centurion. Having scored 245 in the first innings, the Indian batters managed only 131 in 34.1 overs in the second innings after South Africa managed a handsome 408 in its first essay.
The Proteas thus took a 1-0 series lead, thereby extending India’s dreams of winning a Test series in the Rainbow Nation. Only redemption now could be 1-1 draw if they managed to square the series during the New Year’s Test in Cape Town.
“We were not good enough to win. Having been put into bat, KL batted well to get us that score but then we didn’t exploit the conditions with the ball and then again didn’t show up today with the bat,” Rohit said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
If Rahul was the lone fighter in India’s first innings, everybody expected the Indian bowlers to stand up and deliver. Instead, the Indian pace attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna were taken to cleaners, particularly by Dean Elgar.
The South African opener playing his farewell series just toiled with the Indian pace attack with a match-winning 185. Marco Jansen ably assisted him, whose unbeaten 84 helped the hosts cross the 400-run mark.
With the pitch assisting the batters nicely from Day 2 onwards, considering South Africa’s total of 408, it was expected the Indian batters would put up some resistance. Instead, barring Virat Kohli’s 76, none of the batters could stand in front of Nandre Burger, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. Shubman Gill was the second-highest top scorer for India in the second innings with 26.
Rohit urged his teammates to come together and perform collectively. He also felt this was a boundary-scoring ground and they needed to opposition’s strengths too. “If we have to win Test matches, we have to come together collectively and we didn’t do that. Guys have come here before, we know what to expect and everyone has their own plan.
“Our batters were challenged and we didn’t adapt well. This is a boundary scoring ground, we saw them score many but we need to understand the opposition and their strengths as well. We didn’t bat well in both innnings, that’s why we stand here.
Not too many positives to finish the game within 3 days, but KL showed what we need to do on this sort of pitch. Our bowlers, a lot of these guys haven’t been here before so I don’t want to be too critical. Important for us to regroup, we go through these times as sportsmen and we need to be ready for the next Test now,” he added. The second Test begins On January 3 in Newlands, Cape Town.