India vs South Africa: Going into the 2nd Test, India should worry more about their bowling stocks
Centurion to lose the first Test by an innings and 32 runs. Although the pitch aided a fair amount of seam movement on the first day, it was not one on which this Test team should have been bowled out for 245 and 131. Equally, it was not a surface on which this bowling attack should have conceded 408.
Batting failures always attract plenty of attention because they tend to be dramatic. But, going into the second Test in Cape Town, India should worry more about their bowling stocks.
Aside from Jasprit Bumrah, none of the other quick bowlers acquitted themselves well.
Giving Mohammad Siraj some leeway, let’s consider the split in how India bowled in Centurion.
Their three experienced campaigners, Bumrah, Siraj and Ravichandran Ashwin, bowled 69.4 overs for 201 runs and 7 wickets.
That sounds pretty good for this unit on overseas soil, even if Siraj went at 3.79 per over on a seaming track.
But, the problem was that Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna had combined returns of 194 for 2 in 39 overs.
Shardul has been a part of the Indian Test team overseas because he ostensibly lends balance as a fast-bowling all-rounder. However, in his 11 Test matches, Shardul averages a shade under 20 with the bat.
While he clearly has heart and the ability to do a job, he has not delivered enough to justify selection over another specialist bowler, or even Ashwin, who has four Test hundreds.
The fact that countries such as South Africa prepare pitches that give nothing to spinners, in search of invaluable World Test Championship points, makes it tricky for India to play their best combination, which is Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja plus three quicks.
But, Shardul is virtually at the end of a long rope as the medium pacer who bats a bit.
