Sunil Gavaskar has expressed discontent with Team India’s lacklustre performance on Day 3 of the first Test against South Africa at Centurion. He criticised the team’s subdued start and cited a ‘listless’ display against the Proteas. India’s bowlers, including Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj, struggled post fielding errors as they conceded runs. The lapse in fielding was highlighted by KL Rahul’s missed opportunity off Marco Jansen’s inside edge which added to India’s woes.
South Africa capitalised on these slip-ups as they amassed 392 for 7 by lunch, responding to India’s 245 all out in their first innings. Gavaskar emphasised the missed opportunity for India to display vigour and energy at the start of play on Day 3 and urged for a more proactive approach. The critique came as India faced an uphill battle and allowed the Proteas to gain ground steadily in the ongoing Test match.
“India need to wake up. They have been listless till now. They should be full of energy at the start of the day but they have been all over the place. Listless stuff. At tea, maybe the spirits can be down. Not at the start of the day,” Gavaskar said on commentary as quoted by NDTV Sports.
Elgar denies India any interlude during his onslaught
India’s struggle to acclimatise to South African conditions continued in the Centurion Test. What was anticipated as an enthralling Boxing Day encounter turned into a nightmare for the visitors as they faced a relentless Proteas side excelling with both bat and ball. The Indian innings crumbled early as they succumbed to Kagiso Rabada’s five-wicket haul and posted a modest 245 runs.
The agony intensified as Dean Elgar, in his farewell series, showcased his prowess with a commanding century on Day 2 which placed India on the defensive. Adding to India’s woes, debutant David Bedingham anchored the innings and contributed a solid 58 off 87 deliveries. Hopes were high for India to mount a resurgence on Day 3. However, Elgar resumed his onslaught from the previous day and denied the Indian pacers any respite as they struggled to find their rhythm. The uphill battle for India in this Test persisted, with Elgar smashing a brilliant 185