India’s Test captain Virat Kohli didn’t shy away from expressing his disappointment with the batter’s form and performances following the loss to South Africa in Cape Town.
South Africa gunned down 212 to register a 7-wicket win in the third Test, just a week after they had successfully chased 240 with 7 wickets in hand in the second Test as they take the series 2-1 following a loss in the first Test.
Virat Kohli, who scored a high-clas, gritty 79 in the first innings in Newlands, lamented the inconsistency in the batting department, not just in this series but over the past year away from home.
Kohli reflected on the batting collapses India have had since the tour of England last year where they lost the WTC final and then lost in Leeds to England (their lead in that unfinished series is on the back of superb performances from openers and the bowlers). India’s second innings in Cape Town highlighted many issues when Rishabh Pant scored more than half of the team’s total.
At the post-match presentation, Kohli commended the South African pacers for their elite bowling show throughout the three Tests, before he poured into the “disappointing” batting botches of his side.
That will be Lunch on Day 4 of the 3rd Test.
South Africa require 41 runs to win.
Scorecard – https://t.co/rr2tvATzkl #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/wJBu8MQ5CC
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 14, 2022
The Indian captain asserted that hard conversations need to take place regarding their continuous batting malfunctions.
“The opposition bowlers bowled well this series but generally, we haven’t been consistent. We have had too many batting collapses. Of course, it (batting) has been the reason, no doubt about us. Their bowlers were just better in terms of their execution and applying pressure. Batting is certainly something to be looked at. No excuses there. It’s really disappointing for sure,” Kohli said after the loss.
The places of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the eleven are most under question. Pujara averaged 20 in the series while Rahane 22 with one fifty for each of the two. It won’t be a surprise if both the senior batters are dropped for India’s next Test series.
Meanwhile, the white-ball side will take on South Africa in a 3-ODI series starting January 19. KL Rahul has been named the skipper for the ODIs in absence of Rohit Sharma; Jasprit Bumrah will be Rahul’s deputy.
