IND vs SA – Team India’s Defeat in the First Test: Who Bears Responsibility?
After a poor performance resulting in a resounding victory for South Africa in the first test match, the natural question arises: who is responsible for Team India’s defeat?
The blame should not be attributed to just one or two players, as the entire team is accountable. However, in the upcoming matches, it seems that only two players might bear the brunt of the team’s shortcomings.
Firstly, let’s analyze what went wrong for Team India in South Africa. The Centurion Test loss by an innings and 32 runs implicates every player, both batsmen and bowlers. Despite this collective responsibility, only two players may face consequences in the next test.
The two players in question could be Ravichandran Ashwin and the promising Prasidh Krishna. Their performances in the Centurion Test were below par.
Consequently, they might be the scapegoats for the team’s defeat. In the next Test, the players who couldn’t participate in the first Test due to injuries might get a chance in the playing XI.
Ashwin, with only 8 runs across both innings and a solitary wicket, and Prasidh Krishna, who managed only one wicket on his debut in a pace-friendly pitch, might be omitted from the team for the Cape Town Test.
Ravindra Jadeja, who was unavailable in the Centurion Test due to back pain, could replace Ashwin, while Mukesh Kumar might step in for Prasidh Krishna.
It’s important to note that the struggles in the Centurion Test weren’t limited to Ashwin and Prasidh alone.
Captain Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shreyas Iyer also found it challenging against the South African bowlers. However, the repercussions seem to be focused on Ashwin and Prasidh.
