Even though Team India’s trip of South Africa ended without them winning their maiden Test series in the Rainbow Nation, they still had a lot of accomplishments to be pleased of.
At Cape Town, no Asian side had ever won a Test match. The visitors broke that record in less than four sessions, with to Aiden Markram’s brilliant century in the second innings and favorable bowling conditions.
Overall, there were a few noteworthy lessons to be learned during the high-profile series that was a part of the World Test Championship, even if Rohit Sharma and company still have a lot of worries over the Test format.
These three points represent Team India’s gains from their 1-1 Test series tie with South Africa.
1. India’s remarkable comeback after Centurion debacle
India did not even come close to performing well in Centurion. An innings and thirty-two runs destroyed the guests, and everything fell apart.
Sad to say, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Prasidh Krishna fumbled with the ball. Bright spots? Only Virat Kohli and KL Rahul swung with gusto. But Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal? A big letdown in the first match of the series.
In contrast, India’s performance in the second Test was noticeably better. At the top of the order, Siraj had one of his greatest bowling performances to date, and Jaiswal and Rohit also made significant contributions.
The two-time World Test Championship finalists knew it wouldn’t be simple to turn things around, but they succeeded under difficult conditions.
2. Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah shine in India’s Test series in SA
The Indian Test squad is now undergoing a period of change. There aren’t many strong points on the team, but Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah are two of the most crucial ones.
In Cape Town, Kohli and Bumrah widely regarded as India’s finest Test hitter and bowler, respectively exhibited their elite forms. The latter took six wickets in the second essay and won Player of the Series, despite the former having top-scored in the first.
It’s important to note that Bumrah’s Test series against South Africa was his first after recovering from a protracted back ailment. In contrast, Virat Kohli hadn’t played red-ball cricket in the preceding year quite to his best.
India benefited greatly from the fact that their two major guys were willing to step up on a regular basis.
3. India’s slip catching was a welcome sight
It’s possible that this component of cricket went unnoticed since it’s not always readily apparent. However, India’s biggest weakness on many foreign tours has been their inability to catch, so watching them seize every opportunity was encouraging for supporters of the squad.
In the first Test, Shubman Gill did miss a chance against Ravichandran Ashwin, but India was almost flawless against the quicks. Effectively managing the slip cordon were Kohli, Gill, Jaiswal, and Shreyas Iyer; Rohit also contributed by hiding beneath the cover.
Iyer, Jaiswal, and Gill still need to solidify their places in the Test XI. India would aim to have some dependable catchers in the slips in addition to strengthening their batting lineup.
