After winning the first Test of the series at the Supersport Park in Centurion by a comprehensive margin of 113 runs, India looked in pole position to register their first-ever series victory in the rainbow nation.
However, the second game at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg came as a major blow to the visitors as they were beaten by seven wickets in the absence of skipper Virat Kohli. South Africa led by a Man of the Match effort from captain Dean Elgar leveled the series 1-1.
The Jo’burg Test was a tense affair as momentum shifted between the two sides on multiple occasions. Some key moments went in the home side’s favour which ultimately made the difference.
One of them was Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant’s dismissal in the second innings. After a solid partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, India looked all set to put a huge target on the board but Pant failed to make the most of the opportunity.
The Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper was dismissed for a duck off Kagiso Rabada’s bowling. More than his low score, it is the manner of the dismissal which has caused fury among the cricket fraternity.
Just two balls into his innings, Pant tried to smash Rabada off the front foot but ended up edging the bowl for a comfortable catch to the wicket-keeper.
While Pant has become the subject of intense criticism from various corners, skipper Kohli discussed Pant’s shot in the pre-match conference ahead of the series decider and claimed the team management have had a conversation with him.
Kohli said, “We did have a conversation with Rishabh Pant during practice and when a batter plays a bad shot, he would know more than anybody if he has played the right shot according to the situation and as long as an individual accepts that, he will make progress.
“We have all made mistakes in our career in important situations where we have got out, due to pressure or whatever the situation was.”
Moreover, the Indian Test captain recalled a piece of advice former skipper MS Dhoni gave him saying, “I remember MS Dhoni once telling me that there should be a 6-7 months gap between your two mistakes. That is how you will progress in your international career. That became a part of my system. So reflecting on your mistakes is important and I know Rishabh does that and he will learn from his mistakes.”
India and South Africa will face each other in the third and final Test of the series at Johannesburg. Kohli is set to return to the playing XI after recovering from his injury.
