Page 28 - South Africa Cricket Team

In South Africa, fuller length doesn't work: Indian pacer Mukesh Kumar

He should have played ahead of Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna in the Test series opener against South Africa but when Mukesh Kumar finally got his chance at Newlands, the Indian team realised what exactly it missed during the mauling in Centurion. While the seasoned duo of Mohammed Siraj (7 wickets) and Jasprit Bumrah (8 wickets) did the bulk of the damage, Mukesh was the ideal third seamer with four wickets in the second Test, which included two top-order dismissals in the second innings. He was bowling slightly back of length but was still able to move the ball late. "I think I have been able to fulfil the role assigned by the team management. I am satisfied with my bowling and best part is that I have worked hard and tried my best," Mukesh told reporters about his performance during India's series-levelling win. A smart operator, Mukesh had quickly realised that despite being comparatively lesser in terms of pace generated by the two senior speedsters, he can't bowl too full

Change of plan and attitude helped India conquer Cape Town: KL Rahul

KL Rahul scored a century in the first Test but was not able to contribute much with the bat in the second where India won by seven wickets to level the series

IND vs SA- Sad when more luck is needed than skill: Proteas head coach

South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad Thursday termed the Newlands surface on which the shortest Test match in the history of the game was played as "not great" and where sheer luck trumped pure skill. India beat South Africa by seven wickets in a match that was played for just 106.2 overs and ended in a day and a little over one session. "I don't know what people want me to say. You only need to look at the scores. 1.5-day Test match! You need to look at how they chased 80 (79). Sad state when you need more luck than skill. All the ethics and values of Test cricket goes out the window," Conrad, a former Western Province cricketer, lashed out after the series ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Since he has been a Western Province coach and the proverbial insider, he was asked about the surface where balls were just flying from length. "I don't know what's going on here. I have moved on. Not in a position to know the goings on between the walls here. Everybody knows the wicket wasn't great,"

You don't get to see a player like that: Rohit Sharma lauds Dean Elgar

Rohit sang praises of Elgar and said, "Such an important player for South Africa, what he's done throughout his career for South Africa, only a few have done that. Very gritty"

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Rohit Sharma proud of challenging win at Cape Town

Rohit Sharma's countenance reflected his pain at India's failure to win a Test series in South Africa and breach the team's 'final frontier' but the skipper said on Thursday they "would take pride" from their seven-wicket victory in the second Test here. Coming off an innings and 32-run mauling in the series-opener in Centurion, India fought back strongly to emerge victorious here inside five sessions and share the spoils in the two-match rubber. "When you come to this part of the world, it's always difficult but we take pride in our performance outside of India. South Africa always challenge us and for us to come out here and win, we can take pride in this performance," Rohit said at the post-match presentation. "We would have loved to win the series. We came back very well, especially our bowlers. Had some plans and the boys got rewarded. "We knew that it's going to be a short game, we knew ever run matters, to get that first-innings lead was very important." Asked about the ...

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Shut your mouth about Indian pitches, says Rohit Sharma

The Newlands wicket in Cape Town saw the match end in 642 deliveries, making it the shortest-ever Test match in the history of cricket

IND vs SA 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights: Bumrah, Siraj help India level series

India vs South Africa 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights: It was the pairing of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah with the ball who bowled Proteas out twice with their five-wicket hauls and helped India win

India vs South Africa 2nd Test proves shortest long-format match in history

This was the shortest match played in the history of Test cricket. Previously, it was the Australia vs South Africa match in 1932, in which only 656 balls were bowled to decide the winner.

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Sunil Gavaskar slams SENA media over Cape Town wicket

There is a tendency amongst the SENA country's media that if you can't play on fast, bouncy pitches, you're not a batter, says India legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Bumrah breaks Proteas' back with five-wicket haul

Jasprit Bumrah completed his ninth five-wicket haul with four wickets in the first session on Day 2 of India vs South Africa second Test.

Construction activity led to 23 wkts on Day 1? Bizzare theory by SA coach

In the press conference after the first day's play, Prince said that a lot of construction work adjacent to Newlands might have also affected the Cape Town pitch's character.

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Gavaskar surprised over Proteas decision to bat first

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday expressed surprise at South African skipper Dean Elgar's decision to bat first in the second Test against India. Elgar's decision backfired as South Africa were bundled out for 55, their lowest total against India. India were on course for a big lead until losing their last six wickets for no run to be all out for 153, limiting their first innings advantage to 98 runs. "Well, I tell you what, I was a bit surprised by what happened," Gavaskar said in his match analysis on Star Sports. "Because a lot of times, captains and coaches make a big deal about what the pitch is gonna be..." Having annihilated India inside three days in the opening Test, South Africa had the perfect opportunity to take the upper hand by inserting them in on a fresh pitch, Gavaskar opined. "I think you've also got to look at the psychology of the Indian team, having been defeated in three days, having batted so poorly in the second innings and going to be batting fir

IND vs SA 2nd Test: India join Pakistan, create unwanted record in Newlands

India joined Pakistan as the team with the most ducks in an innings in a Test match

India vs South Africa: When 23 wickets fell in a single day of a Test match

India lost their last six wickets for 0 runs at Newlands Stadium in Capetown against South Africa on January 3, 2023

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Proteas register their lowest Test score; Siraj takes 6

Mohammed Siraj registered his third five-wicket haul and his best figures in Tests after getting six South African wickets at Newlands in the New Year's Test

IND vs SA 2nd Test, Day 1 Highlights: 23 wickets fall as India lead by 36

India vs South Africa 2nd Test, Day 1 LIVE SCORE Updates: It was a bowler's day out on Newlands as 23 wickets fell, joint-most on a single day in South Africa. At 62/3, Proteas trailed by 36

India vs South Africa 2nd Test Playing 11: Two changes in India's XI

IND vs SA Playing 11: Ravindra Jadeja has replaced R Ashwin while Shardul Thakur paves the way for Mukesh Kumar. Disney+Hotstar will provide the live streaming of the match in India

IND vs SA - Test cricket, ultimate challenge and must be protected: Rohit

Indian captain Rohit Sharma feels that it is each and every ICC member's duty to protect the sanctity of Test cricket as it remains the ultimate format. Cricket South Africa selected seven uncapped players, including an inexperienced first timer Neil Brand, for the upcoming tour of New Zealand to accommodate top stars for the cash-rich SA20, which is coinciding with the Test series. All the SA20 franchises are owned by IPL team owners and the move to prioritize franchise cricket has earned widespread criticism. For me, Test remains ultimate challenge and we would like to see best players playing that format but everyone has own problems to deal with and make sure there is a reason behind it, Rohit reacted when asked about the CSA move. But he was clear that he always wants top players to play Tests. I don't know what the reason is (for SA not picking senior players) and in Test cricket you want to see best players being available but like I said I don't know what internal discussi

IND vs SA 2nd Test preview: Bowlers face tall task; Rohit seeks redemption

Rohit Sharma, the leader, will need to channelise the champion tactician that resides in him as India look to restore parity against South Africa and remain consequential in the World Championship points table when the second Test starts here on Wednesday. Ravindra Jadeja, India's "Most Valuable Player" across formats, will come back to add the requisite middle-order batting balance and steady overs with the old Kookaburra but it will be the skipper's choice of third and fourth speed merchants that will define the embattled team's response. As harsh as it might sound, no one knows more than Rohit that Prasidh Krishna is pretty undercooked to counter the vagaries of Test cricket and Shardul Thakur's bits and pieces talent will not win him much on most days. But with three top-order batters, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer compounding the team's worries with their ineptitude while dealing with the bouncer barrage, Shardul's presence gives the side an assumption of ...

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Shreyas Iyer faces short ball barrage in net session

Virat Kohli looked a million dollars as he did extensive simulation for South Africa's left-arm pacer Nandre Burger but Shreyas Iyer's problems seemed to continue while facing a barrage of short balls at nets here on Monday. On the New Year's Day, it was business as usual for Kohli, who had an extended session lasting close to an hour. First, he was at the centre nets against bowlers and then he faced high-intensity throwdowns for about 20 to 25 minutes at outside nets. Kohli is known to come to nets with specific purpose and on Monday, it seemed he wanted to extensively bat against a left-arm pacer. Since the Indian team's pace bowling roster doesn't include a left-armer, a net bowler was summoned and Kohli faced a good 25 to 30 deliveries from him in between playing against Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin and Avesh Khan. Kohli was repeatedly seen putting in a big stride forward and at times walking a couple of steps to whip the bowler through mid wicket. However, the on