On Thursday, January 5, Team India rallied after a disappointing defeat in Centurion. They confidently took the second and final Test against South Africa in Cape Town, winning by seven wickets.
Rohit Sharma and his team beamed proudly. The victory staved off a series loss and contributed to their World Test Championship score. A lackluster showing on several occasions led to a regrettable loss in the initial contest. They reflected upon the better result they could have achieved.
Even if the visitors’ victory was unforgettable, there were several bases they failed to cover strategically. Throughout the series, Rohit faced criticism for his actions made on the field, and the Cape Town Test was no exception.
In the second Test match against South Africa, Team India committed the following two errors and one brilliant move.
3. Mistake – Prasidh Krishna Wasted the New Ball by Bowling First Change in His Debut Test
Pointing fingers at errors might be a bit harsh considering that South Africa was bowled out for a meager 55 in the opening innings. Nevertheless, if Rohit had taken the initiative and been more informed about the terms of the first session, the total may have been considerably lower.
With Jasprit Bumrah taking six wickets and Mohammed Siraj setting the tone with a penetrating opening performance, the Indian captain chose to toss the ball to Prasidh Krishna rather than Mukesh Kumar. The seam movement that was available would have allowed Mukesh, who is renowned for his command of length and line, to quickly end the South African innings.
After allowing 10 runs in four overs, Prasidh was replaced by Mukesh, who took two wickets in two overs while bowling without giving up a single run. In the big picture, India wasn’t particularly hurt by this, but it was a tactical error that shouldn’t be committed at the highest level.
2. Masterstroke – Rohit Sharma and the other batters counter-attacked when needed
Even though Rohit made a few mistakes with his bowling changes, the opening batsman produced two crucial batting contributions. In difficult circumstances, his counterattacking 39 in the opening innings set the tone for India’s response.
That was not the only Indian batter to use that tactic; Virat Kohli was also performing admirably. Under the circumstances, the superstar scored a crucial 46 to lead his team and put them well ahead.
Now it was Yashasvi Jaiswal’s turn in the second innings. After a few consecutive misses, the youthful opener blasted six fours in 23 balls, relieving his captain at the opposite end of the field. Thanks to Jaiswal’s early momentum, India crossed the finish line with Rohit remaining unblemished.
A few important Indian players were able to strike the ideal mix between attack and defence in circumstances where batting was extremely difficult. It was a well-calculated strategic maneuver that paid off handsomely.
1. Mistake -India Delay Siraj’s Entry on Day 2
India needed to be at the top of their game in the first session of Day 2 since South Africa had lost three wickets in their second innings and was getting closer to a lead. Despite Bumrah’s outstanding performance, the visitors gave up runs at the other end when Aiden Markram attempted a brilliant knock.
That was mostly because Rohit gave the ball to Mukesh rather than Siraj, who was the primary wrecker during the first innings. In the second essay, the Bengal seamer’s economy rate was 5.6, and India missed Siraj’s danger and authority greatly.
After Markram had given the Proteas a fighting chance early in the game, Siraj was ultimately called on, and he certainly delivered by having the opener caught in the deep. There’s every possibility that India would have won more easily if he had been come on sooner.
