"Was Hardly Used...": Sunil Gavaskar Predicts Two Changes In XI For India's Must-Win 2nd Test vs South Africa

01.01.2024 - 09:32 sports.ndtv.com

The New Year brings in new hopes for Indian cricket team fans. The year 2023 promised a lot for India for there were heartbreaks too.

The losses in the finals of the World Test Championship and the ODI Cricket World Cup were heavy blows for the team. 2023 ended on a sour note for the Rohit Sharma-led team as it lost by an Innings and 32 runs in the first Test against South Africa.

The second and final Test of the series starts on January 3 and they have to win it to draw the series. Former Indian cricket team predicted two changes that might take place in India's playing XI. "My Playing XI would be not too many changes.

Ravindra Jadeja, once he is fit, will probably walk back into the team at the expense of Ravichandran Ashwin. That's what it is looking to be because Ravichandran Ashwin was hardly used in the previous game.

cricket South Africa Cricket Team India Cricket Team South Africa vs India Test Ravichandran Ashwin Star Sports Sunil Gavaskar Ravindra Jadeja Mukesh Kumar South Africa India

India's tour of South Africa left a bitter-sweet taste in the mouths of Indian players. The 1-1 draw was satisfactory but the performance of Indian batters on tricky pitches left a lot to be desired. One batter who particularly underperformed was Shreyas Iyer, scoring just 41 runs in 4 innings at an average of 13.67. However, India legend Sunil Gavaskar doesn't think the selectors will look too much into Iyer's performance as he wasn't the only batter who failed in the 2-match series.

"Sorry, You're Not A Batter If...": Sunil Gavaskar's Attack Post India vs South Africa 2nd Test

The India vs South Africa 2nd Test ended inside two days. In all, only five days of cricket action was possible to see in the two-match Test series. While the first Test ended in three days, the second Test's duration was beyond explanation. Thrice the teams were all out in a span of five sessions. While the pitch at the Newlands Stadium is under question, there are those who have raised questions at the batters' technique too.

On Day 1 Chaos In 1st Test, Sunil Gavaskar Surprised By South Africa's Dramatic Call

Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday expressed surprise at South African skipper Dean Elgar's decision to bat first in the second Test against India. Elgar's decision backfired as South Africa were bundled out for 55, their lowest total against India. India were on course for a big lead until losing their last six wickets for no run to be all out for 153, limiting their first innings advantage to 98 runs. "Well, I tell you what, I was a bit surprised by what happened," Gavaskar said in his match analysis on Star Sports.

Watch: South Africa Pacer Tries To Scare Virat Kohli. Sunil Gavaskar's Reaction Is Gold

It will be a day which will etched in the history of Indian cricket forever. Dismissing a team for a double digit figure is a big feat, and India did it in emphatic fashion against South Africa on Day 1 of the second Test. A career-best six-wicket haul from Mohammed Siraj helped India dismiss South Africa for a lowly 55 before the visitors were dismissed for 153.

"All Thanks To Kapil Dev...": Sunil Gavaskar's Ultimate Revelation As Mohammed Siraj Shows India's Pace Might Yet Again

Mohammed Siraj's six-wicket haul against South Africa in the first session of the second Test in Cape Town once again showed India's pace might. Apart from Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah and Muesh Kumar took two wickets each. It was yet another proof of Indian pace bowling being one of the best in the world. In a straight spell of nine overs, Siraj picked a career-best 6 for 15 as the South African batters made a beeline back to the dug-out, unable to counter the disconcerting bounce and the movement, both inward and outward, that he extracted off the surface.

"Ravichandran Ashwin Better Than Shardul Thakur": India Great's Suggestion Ahead Of 2nd Test vs South Africa

Former India batter Krishnamachari Srikkanth has backed veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin to retain his place in the playing XI for the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town. South Africa defeated India by an innings and 32 runs at the SuperSport Park in Centurion last week. Ashwin was India's most economical bowler in the Boxing Day Test, giving away just 41 runs in 19 overs, while claiming a solitary wicket. With Ravindra Jadeja likely to return for the game at the Newlands, Srikkanth feels Ashwin is better than Shardul Thakur, who pretty expensie in the first Test.