Image Credit- PTI
at the first Boxing Day Test at Centurion, which ended
after three days, an underprepared India was badly defeated by an innings and
32 runs against a far-better South Africa, plagued by pace and unsettled by the
sudden bounce. The Indian batsmen struggled in the second innings, scoring just
131 runs in 34.1 overs, after amassing a valiant 245 in the first. This
destroyed India’s hopes of winning a Test series in the Rainbow Nation for the
first time in thirty-one years and gave South Africa an unassailable 1-0 lead
in the two-match series.
Now, a 1-1 draw is the only way to salvage the series,
assuming India levels the scores in the forthcoming New Year’s Test in Cape
Town. The Indian team’s poor batting display demonstrated their ignorance and
lack of readiness for such a difficult task. Sachin Tendulkar, a former cricket
player and batter from India, said the team’s performances were “much to
be desired,” highlighting their batting deficiencies in particular.
“Well played South Africa! While I initially felt
the South African team would’ve been unhappy after the 1st innings, their pace
attack surpassed expectations and showcased remarkable skill in the 2nd
innings, in spite of the pitch becoming more favourable for batting as the
match progressed.
“From whatever I watched, India’s shot selection left
much to be desired. Throughout the Test, only a few batters, namely Elgar,
Jansen, Bedingham, @imVkohli and @klrahul truly seemed at ease with the bat,
navigating the conditions with technique and poise,” wrote Tendulkar.
Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Mumbai Indians, has
had a terrible six to seven weeks. He lost the World Cup final in November,
lost his captaincy two weeks ago, and now he doesn’t appear to be the leader
that made him an immediate favourite during the World Cup.
The team also had a captain’s appearance, unkempt and
lacking a backup plan in case things went wrong.