Sunil Gavaskar said he was “stunned” by India’s tactics after lunch on Day 4.© AFP
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar criticized the team’s tactics during the post-lunch session on Day 4 of the third and final Test, which the visitors lost by seven wickets on Friday at Newlands in Cape Town. The win in Cape Town helped South Africa remain unbeaten against India in test series played at home. India had won the opening class at a gallop, but lost the next two quite extensively. Gavaskar said India’s dream of winning their first test series on South African soil had “turned into a nightmare”.
Gavaskar was especially “baffled” by some of India’s tactics after the lunch break on Day 4.
“India’s post-lunch cricket just stunned me. You’d think you’d make one last effort to get Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami to the bowl. Because after a break, batsmen have to reset. India’s dream of a series for the first time in South Africa has turned into a nightmare,” the former Indian cricketer said on the broadcast as he commented on the match.
“What can you say? Both wins are comprehensive for South Africa, again by seven wickets — seven wickets in Johannesburg and seven wickets here.”
Gavaskar said India’s emphatic victory over Centurion in the opening Test had led him to believe he was trailing 3-0 in favor of the visitors. The ex-India opener also pointed to the “fragility” of South African batting and their “inexperienced” bowling lineup.
“Hasn’t even come close, India had a big win in the first Test and I really thought that would be the template for the next two Test matches as well. Didn’t happen.”
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“Margin of wins, that’s a great thing for South Africa. But hard to understand as far as India. The way they dominated that first Test really thought they could win the series. I was thinking in terms of a 3 -0 series, because of the vulnerability of the South African batter, the fact that Nortje didn’t play — that was another huge plus for India, because you had two inexperienced bowlers then,” said Gavaskar.
Not having conquered the final frontier, the focus for India will now shift to the three-match ODI series starting January 19 at Boland Park, Paarl.
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