Former Indian spinner Murali Kartik raised doubts about whether Sai Sudharsan and some of the other Team India batters would be able to approach Day 3 positively in the ongoing second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. The situation for the hosts is grim, with the Proteas posting a daunting total of 489 in their first innings by the end of the second day.
India, who lost the first Test in Kolkata, find themselves in a must-win situation to avoid a series defeat at home. However, with only three days left in the match and play being affected by bad light on the first two days, the Indian batters face a challenging task in pushing for a result.
In a recent analysis on Cricbuzz, Kartik highlighted the specific Indian batters and their mental approach for Day 3. He mentioned concerns about Yashasvi Jaiswal’s lack of success against South Africa, Sudharsan needing to make an impact after losing his spot at No. 3, and the pressure on the middle order due to the absence of Shubman Gill.
Kartik also emphasized the need for players like Pant, Jadeja, and Washington Sundar to step up, as well as the return of Nitish Reddy adding depth to the batting lineup. Sudharsan, who missed the series opener, holds a modest Test average of 30.33 in five matches, making his performance crucial in the context of the series.
Shaun Pollock, former South African captain, highlighted the importance of players like Jaiswal and Pant in accelerating the scoring rate for India to have a chance of forcing a result in the Test. However, Pollock cautioned against being overly aggressive and risking a loss instead of settling for a draw.
With India currently at 9/0 in response to South Africa’s 489 at the end of Day 2, the pressure is on the Indian batters to deliver a strong performance on Day 3. Pollock also stressed the significance of players like Jadeja and KL Rahul in anchoring the innings and maintaining a balanced approach to avoid conceding crucial World Test Championship points.
As the match hangs in the balance, India’s batting lineup faces a critical test to salvage the series and avoid another disappointing home defeat. The contributions of key players like Jaiswal, Pant, and Sudharsan will be vital in determining the outcome of the second Test against a formidable South African side.
