Kaneria said the duo should have helped Kohli, Dravid Rahul in Johannesburg.© BCCI
South Africa skipper Dean Elgar crushed an unbeaten 96 as he led the Proteas to a seven-wicket series-level victory over India in the second Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. KL Rahul led India in the second Test in the absence of Virat Kohli, who missed the game due to a spasm in his upper back. While some of Rahul’s captaincy decisions caught the attention of experts, former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria said the 29-year-old cannot be blamed for the loss as he captained the test team for the first time in his career.
Kaneria said the duo should have helped Kohli and head coach Rahul Dravid Rahul from the locker room on Day 4 of the recently concluded second Test.
“Team India was behind but they should have made South Africa work hard for their runs. That didn’t happen and they scored the remaining runs very easily. The bowling and the bowling changes were not good. KL Rahul was too much because he was captain first. But Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid’s think tank should have sent instructions regarding the bowling changes,” Kaneria said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel.
The 41-year-old said the Indian think tank should have asked the pacers to bowl in short bursts, adding that Ravichandran Ashwin was also not used in time and only introduced when there were only a handful of runs left.
“They should have asked the pacers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj – to bowl in short bursts. Ashwin was not used (on time); there were only 11 runs left when Ashwin was used. Shami and Bumrah leaked out … too many runs. Same was the case with Siraj. Test cricket is all about patience,” he added.
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Kaneria also praised the South African team for their efforts, adding that it will be very difficult for India to come back in the third and final test.
With the series now tied at 1-1, the series-defining third and final Test will be played from January 11-15 at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.
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