Ex-cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar from India says missing the bowl’s steady performance was a big factor in India’s defeat at Centurion.
For the second Test in Cape Town, the Indian squad swapped Shardul Thakur with Mukesh Kumar. Mukesh successfully claimed four wickets in the game.
When asked if Kumar ought to have been in the starting lineup from the opening Test, Manjrekar justified Thakur’s criticism in an oblique manner.
He said that the think tank may have preferred a stronger batsman at No. 8, where Thakur excels, and that the Indian bowling team as a whole struggled in the opening Test.
Following the conclusion of the Test series, Sanjay Manjrekar discussed Shardul Thakur with ESPNCricinfo.
“I understand why they wanted batting depth with Shardul, especially given that they have new players batting at 1,3 & 5 and also Shardul’s record in South Africa. I think it is unfair to blame everything on Shardul Thakur. I feel India generally didn’t bowl well in that Test match and that didn’t allow them a series win.”
Sanjay Manjrekar
He added:
“I fear Shardul Thakur will have to wait a while to play his next Test match. They will have to look at his bowling. It is not that he scored 40-50 with the bat either. He might not play a Test match for a while now as India will find other ways of strengthening their batting.”
Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar believes Prasidh Krishna has potential to improve with more first-class exposure
With just two wickets in two Test matches and a rapid run-rate of runs conceded, speedster Prasidh Krishna had a forgettable series. Sanjay Manjrekar, nevertheless, believes that with more elite experience under his belt, the youthful bowler would become better.
In response, he said:
“Low on confidence naturally at the start of his Test career. And tactically I feel India went wrong in the first Test trying to swing the ball, something Prasidh isn’t comfortable with. So there was pressure immediately on him in his first innings with India having just 260 (245) on the board. Plus you have to look at just 12 first class games, unlike Mukesh Kumar who made more of a bowling impact than Prasidh Krishna.”
Sanjay Manjrekar
For Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna to return to form and be included in India’s Test squad for the trip to Australia at the end of this year, the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy season may prove to be essential.
