"It's been 6 years since she made her debut" - Veda Krishnamurthy says Pooja Vastrakar has finally performed as per expectations in IND vs SA series
Veda Krishnamurthy reckons Pooja Vastrakar has finally lived up to expectations in the ongoing multi-format series between India and South Africa. She pointed out that the seam-bowling all-rounder started her international career six years ago but hadn't delivered to her potential.
Vastrakar registered figures of 2/37 in four overs as South Africa set India a 178-run target in the second T20I in Chennai on Sunday, July 7. The match didn't yield a result as rain didn't allow the Women in Blue to start their chase.
During a discussion on Sports 18, Krishnamurthy was asked about her thoughts on Pooja Vastrakar's spell in Sunday's game.
"You can say that we are finally getting to see the performances we were expecting from Pooja in this series. It's been six years since she made her debut. I think Pooja made her debut in 2018. There were a lot of expectations from her but she wasn't able to deliver," she responded.
The Karnataka batter added that Vastrakar's match-winning final over in the second ODI against the Proteas Women potentially triggered an attitude change.
"I feel the change of attitude, belief and confidence has come since she defended those runs in the last over in the second ODI. Her approach has looked different after that. She is doing controlled bowling. You need to understand the length that suits your bowling style. She has identified that length and is sticking to that," Krishnamurthy elaborated.
South Africa needed 11 runs off the final over while chasing a 326-run target in the second ODI in Bengaluru last month. Although Vastrakar conceded an edged four off the second ball, she picked up back-to-back wickets of the next two deliveries and gave away just a bye off the last four balls to help India register a series-clinching four-run win.
"You should know how to read the wicket and the conditions and Pooja Vastrakar did that well" - Reema Malhotra
![Pooja Vastrakar dismissed South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt in the second T20I. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/07/a8644-17204231777454-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same discussion, Reema Malhotra noted that Pooja Vastrakar would have had better figures in the second T20I had Jemimah Rodrigues not dropped Annerie Dercksen's catch off the fourth ball of the final over.
"The three fours went after that (dropped catch) only. I feel she bowled well. She bowled the best in the last match as well. She had the big wicket of Laura (Wolvaardt) against her name today. The entire world knows how dangerous a player she is. You should know how to read the wicket and the conditions and Pooja Vastrakar did that well," she said.
The former India all-rounder added that the 24-year-old bowled the ideal length based on the pitch and made up for Renuka Singh's absence.
"Most of her deliveries were short of the good length. You make mistakes when you bowl full. She used the slower deliveries, bouncers, and her experience. Her role gets doubled when Renuka Singh Thakur isn't part of the playing XI. She was definitely the go-to bowler for her captain today," Malhotra observed.
Vastrakar had Laura Wolvaardt caught by Radha Yadav at point to give India their first breakthrough. She then had Nadine de Klerk caught by Sajeevan Sajana at mid-on in the final over of the innings and would have had a third wicket had Rodrigues not grassed Dercksen's offering three deliveries later.