2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by India in the 2nd Test vs South Africa
Team India bounced back from a disappointing loss in Centurion as they clinched the second and final Test against South Africa in Cape Town by seven wickets on Thursday, January 5.
With the win, Rohit Sharma and Co. ensured that they didn't suffer a series defeat and added some valuable points to their World Test Championship kitty. They were left to rue what could've been, with a pedestrian performance on multiple fronts handing them a heavy defeat in the opening contest.
Nevertheless, while it was a memorable win for the visitors, there were plenty of bases they didn't cover from a tactical standpoint. Rohit came under criticism for his on-field decisions throughout the series, and the Cape Town Test was no different.
Here are two mistakes and one masterstroke made by Team India in the second Test against South Africa.
#3 Mistake - Prasidh Krishna was brought on as the first change in the first innings
South Africa were bowled out for a lowly 55 in the first innings, so nitpicking mistakes might be a touch harsh. Having said that, though, the total could've been even lower if Rohit had been proactive and been more aware of the conditions on offer in the first session.
After Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah set the tone with a penetrative opening spell, with the former picking up six wickets, the Indian skipper tossed the ball to Prasidh Krishna instead of Mukesh Kumar. Mukesh, who is known for his control over line and length, could've used the seam movement on offer to wrap up the South African innings quickly.
Prasidh gave away 10 runs in four overs, and Mukesh came on to pick up two wickets without conceding a single run in the two overs he bowled. This didn't really cost India in the grand scheme of things, but it was a tactical mistake that shouldn't be made at the top level.
#2 Masterstroke - Rohit Sharma and the other batters counter-attacked when needed
While Rohit may have got his bowling changes wrong on a few occasions, the opening batter made a couple of invaluable batting contributions. His counter-attacking 39 in the first innings set the tone for India's reply in challenging conditions.
Rohit wasn't the only Indian batter to adopt that strategy, with Virat Kohli playing positively as well. The superstar made an important 46 to top-score for his side and take them to a considerable lead, given the circumstances.
In the second innings, it was Yashasvi Jaiswal's turn. The young opener brushed aside a few successive failures to hit six fours in 23 balls, taking pressure off his skipper at the other end. Rohit remained unbeaten as India got over the line on the back of Jaiswal's early impetus.
In conditions where batting wasn't easy at all, a few key Indian players found the right balance between attack and defense. It was a smart tactical move that yielded rich dividends.
#1 Mistake - Mohammed Siraj wasn't brought on early on Day 2
With South Africa having lost three wickets in their second innings and inching towards a lead, India needed to be on top of their game in the first session of Day 2. While Bumrah was stellar, the visitors leaked runs at the other end as Aiden Markram essayed a splendid knock.
The main reason for that was Rohit handing the ball to Mukesh instead of Siraj, who was the wrecker-in-chief in the first innings. The Bengal seamer had an economy rate of 5.6 in the second essay as India sorely missed Siraj's control and threat.
Siraj was eventually brought on after Markram had given the Proteas a fighting shot in the game, and he duly delivered by having the opener caught in the deep. Had he been brought on earlier, there's every chance that India would've coasted towards the win with more ease.