South Africa vs India
2nd Test Venue: The Wanderers, Johannesburg
The home team South Africa took on Indian team who began with a thumping win, very keen on bouncing back. KL Rahul Marshalled the Indian troops in the absence of Kohli due to fitness issues.
Kyle Verreynne debuted to fill the shoes of Wicket keeper Quinton de Kock who retired from test Cricket just after the first test.
India Playing XI
KL Rahul (Captain), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Mohammed Siraj
South Africa Playing XI
Dean Elgar (captain), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi
India won the toss and opted to bat first.
India 1st Innings
KL Rahul – Mayank Agarwal pair started off well yet again, but as the partnership looked promising at 36-0, Jansen broke the partnership by dismissing Mayank for 26(37b, 5 fours). Pujara perished for 3(33) and Rahane went back to pavilion for a first ball duck.
With India struggling at 49-3, skipper Rahul and Hanuma Vihari looked solid, but Rabada sent back Vihari to pavilion for 20(53 balls, 3 fours). The well set Rahul who reached his was 50 (133 balls, 9 fours) was dismissed by Jansen, pushing India to deeper trouble 116-5.
Pant and Ashwin started rebuilding but Jansen unsettled India yet again by dismissing Pant for 17 (43 balls, 1 four). Gutsy Ashwin batted steadily but didn’t get support from the other end, where he fell short of his 50 by 4 runs to Jansen. Thakur disappointed with a duck. Shami 9(12), Siraj 1(6) were too wrapped up soon. Jansen who broke all the vital partnerships effected 4 wickets as India were bundled out for 202.
South Africa 1st innings
With a need to counter attack, South Africa failed to start positively yet again, when Markram was trapped leg before by Shami for 7(12). Petersen and Elgar the paired up to lay a foundation slow but steady. After stitching a 74 run partnership with his partner, Elgar walked back to pavilion for 28(120) perishing to Thakur. Keegan Petersen who scripted a well made 50 was dismissed by Thakur for 62 (118 balls, 9 fours) who sent back van der Dussen 1(17).
Debutant Verreynne and Bavuma had a responsibility on their shoulders to take their side to a decent score which they obliged reasonably well. Verreynne was trapped leg before by Thakur for 21(72). Bavuma played a gritty knock of 51 (60 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) before Thakur did what he is best at: dismissing the settled batter! Rabada was out for a nought to Shami.
Maharaj (21 runs, 29 balls, 3 fours) and Jansen (21 runs, 34 balls, 3 fours) built a valuable 38 run stand to take a lead over India. South Africa batting that had no answers to Thakur was totally blown away by his bowling figures 7/61 and came to an end at 229.
India 2nd innings
Trail by 27 runs, India’s hope Rahul was dismissed for 8(21). Mayank and Pujara started the reconstruction but Mayank was adjudged LBW off Olivier. Pujara-Rahane duo that was going through a poor run approached the batting determined. The combo hit 18 fours and a six between them as they provided 111 run stand before Rahane lost his wicket to Rabada for 58 (78 balls, 8 fours, 1 six). Pujara soon became Rabada’s next victim for 53 (86 balls, 10 fours). Pant was out f6ir a nought for an unnecessary slog off Rabada. The scorecard that looked strong once looked to be a collapse on progress then.
Ashwin who was on a haste with his batting perished to Ngidi for 16 (14 balls, 2 fours). Thakur who was on no mood to bat patient scored a swift 28 (24 balls, 5 fours, 1 six). Shami (0), Bumrah 7(14), Siraj 0(2) failed to bat sensibly to accompany Vihari 40* (84 balls, 6 fours) who hung till the end.
India settled for a lead of 239 runs believing it to be a Par target after being all-out for 266.
South Africa 2nd innings
With a reachable yet challenging target of 240, South Africa started remarkably well. Openers Markram-Elgar stitched a strong base of 47 runs that was a good start for a 4th innings chase by test match standards! Markram was done for 31(38 balls, 6 fours).
Petersen who walked in next supported Elgar well to prevent any damage in quick succession. The pair added 46 runs when Ashwin provided the breakthrough by sending back Petersen for 28(44 balls, 4 fours). Van der Dussen showed lot of patience and intent towards winning when he scored a splendid 40 (92 balls, 5 fours), stitching a valuable 92 runs stand with the skipper Elgar.
After his fall, when the South Africans needed 65 runs for the finish line, Elgar-Bavuma batted sensibly, completely damage proof for his team to take it over the line, making a 4th innings chase look so simple!
Elgar 96* (188 balls, 10 fours) showed grit, courage and determination to accomplish the unfinished job of the previous match’s chase with the support of Bavuma 23 *(45 balls, 3 fours).
South Africans bounced back hard and harder from the set back, equating the balance 1-1 in the test series.
Key Takeaway
In life, one must not be complacent or misjudge the contest /competition or take the opponents for granted.
It definitely seemed that Indians took the 4th innings chase target for granted and misjudged that anything over 200 as a target would suffice running complacent by the memory of the first test match. it looked like they batted the third innings of the test match on a complete hurry. They were keen to bring in SA to bat again but not giving enough in setting the target. While this may just be a game where one may misjudge the situation, not paying attention to it might lead to repeatedly making the same mistake.
While some may feel otherwise, if we keenly observe our own workplace performances and judgements we make, sometimes, we end up underestimating or overestimating our competition/opponent/co-worker’s abilities. By doing so, we not only fail to give our best but we water the seed of self-doubt (Can I do this? They are better than me. Maybe I am not cut out for this) in in long term or the seed of overconfidence (This is easy.) and not work hard/put in the same efforts in our process.
If we see the person on the other end as someone who has the potential to win, we want to put in the effort, give your best and take up the challenge they put forth. It not only helps us stay humble and work hard but also helps us to up our game, develop our skills and put our best foot forward every time we are on the field.
~Dhinesh Babu (Guest Author)
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