“Would love to have more big scores from batting line up” - Rahul Dravid ahead of 2nd India vs South Africa Test
Team India head coach Rahul Dravid has admitted that the think tank is looking forward to some big scores from the batters, particularly the middle order. However, he defended the trio of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, pointing out that it is not always easy to convert starts in South Africa.
Kohli and Rahane looked good in Centurion but did not carry on after getting starts. As for Pujara, he seemed off-color and struggled for fluency.
Speaking ahead of the second Test against South Africa, which begins at The Wanderers in Johannesburg on Monday, Dravid admitted about India's middle-order woes:
“Obviously, we would love to have more big scores from the batting line-up,” but added, “Having said, in these kind of conditions, sometimes, it is not always the easiest. You never really feel in and it is not very often that you see all the batsmen being able to convert. We had (KL) Rahul being able to convert for us in the first innings. He batted beautifully.”
Dravid, himself a former India no.3, asserted that Kohli, Pujara and Rahane are batting very well even though they are not getting the big scores. Dravid added:
“Hopefully, this Test match and the one after that is probably one of their opportunities to step up and play a big knock and convert one of their starts. “He also admitted, "We know we could have got more from 272 for 3. To get bowled out for 327, that’s an area we would like to improve on. We could have batted a little bit better in the second innings.”
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Asked if the bio-bubble impact could be one of the reasons behind the Indian middle-order’s struggle, Dravid replied that there could be a number of factors at play. He elaborated:
“It happens to people at various stages in their career when you play for a long period of time. There are phases in your career where you're batting well but the big scores don’t necessarily come. It could just be happening that the two-three of them are going through that similar kind of phase at the same time. They know how to convert. It’s just a matter of time. They have been preparing well. I just feel that there could be some good runs around the corner.”
While Pujara was dismissed for 0 and 16 in Johannesburg, Kohli made 35 and 18 while Rahane contributed 48 and 20.
“Sometimes it doesn’t happen” - Rahul Dravid on Cheteshwar Pujara’s extended lean run
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At the pre-match press conference, Dravid was specifically asked if the team's think tank was worried over Pujara’s lean run. The Indian no.3 last scored a Test ton in January 2019.
Agreeing Pujara himself would be wanting to score more runs, Dravid commented:
“Certainly, he would have liked to have scored more runs. Someone like him sets really high standards for himself. He has achieved a lot of success in the tenure that he has played cricket. He knows the highs and the kind of success he has had. Obviously, he would like to replicate that. Sometimes it doesn’t happen."
Dravid added:
“It’s not a question of being worried but, of course, if you do go set, it is really nice if one of your top three or four can convert that into a big score. We saw the value of that in Rahul’s hundred. It would be great if Pujara can do that. Because, when he does that, a lot of times India do win those games or we put ourselves in really good positions.”
The second Test of the three-match India-South Africa series begins in Johannesburg on Monday. India are currently 1-0 up, having defeated the Proteas by 113 runs in Centurion.