South Africa vs India 2018: 5 positives for India despite the loss

The pitch was spicy, the bowlers had a party, Newlands saw rain, the misery of drought dissipated, Indian bowlers put up a masterclass, Indian batting collapsed, South Africa kept the pressure, they won, India, the number one Test team folded like a pack of cards.

The visitors saw a glimmer of hope, they looked at it, it stared back at them, it was not easy, it was never going to be, they faltered, they stumbled, and South Africa stomped all over them.

It was all done and dusted, India gave it a good fight, this good was good in patches, they blinked when it mattered the most, there is hope, yes, but there is a lot to worry about too.

Here in this slider, we shun aside all the negativities and focus on the positive strides India made, these strides will help them to sprint in the coming two Tests.

#5 The resilient nature of the lower and middle order

There will be few debates over the nature of the pitch at Newlands, it was everything a seam bowler wishes for, it was everything batsmen cringe at.

Both sets of batsmen struggled to get going on the track, but what can be viewed as a positive signal for the visitors will be the fight shown by the lower and middle order in both the innings.

The fact that number six, seven, and eight batsmen are willing to dig and show resilience can only bode well for the visitors and it can also inspire the top order in the subsequent matches.

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