South Africa vs India 2018: 5 things that cost India the 2nd Test
When India lost by 72 runs in the 1st Test at Cape Town after coming so close to victory, it looked as though they had missed a golden chance. The captain and the team looked determined that the next time they were faced with such an opportunity, they would grab it with both hands.
The opportunity came again in the next Test and went begging this time around as well. With a brown wicket and conditions akin to home, India had their best chance to win at Centurion but once again they let the crucial moments slip from their hands. Here is a look at 5 key things that led to India's failure in the 2nd Test.
#5 Losing the toss
Virat lost the toss in the Newlands. In the 2nd Test as well, South Africa won the toss and decided to bat first. On the wicket that offered variable bounce, batting got tougher as the match progressed.
Some short pitched balls kept low, while others shot off from nowhere. In the fourth innings, opener Murali Vijay got one such delivery that took the bottom edge of his bat and crashed into the wickets.Once India lost the toss, it was always chasing the game rather than calling the shots.