Proteas beat India in 2nd T20I

South Africa rode on some powerful batting by Heinrich Klaasen and Jean-Paul Duminy to defeat India by six wickets in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) at the SuperSport Park here on Wednesday.

Chasing a formidable target of 189 runs, the hosts romped home with eight balls to spare. The three-match series is now locked at 1-1.


Klaasen brought up his maiden T20I half-century, producing an awe inspiring show of power hitting to plunder 69 runs off just 30 balls.

Duminy remained unbeaten on 64 runs off 40 balls with four boundaries and three sixes.

The South African chase was off to a decent start before J. J. Smuts stepped out to pacer Jaydev Unadkat, only to be surprised by a slower delivery as Suresh Raina picked up an easy lofted catch at cover-point.

Reeza Hendricks handed pacer Shardul Thakur a wicket on his T20I debut when he went after a short piched delivery only to send his mistimed attempt into the hands of Hardik Pandya at deep mid-wicket.

With both opener back in the pavilion after five overs, the hosts seemed to be in deep trouble.

But Heinrich Klaasen and Jean-Paul Duminy brought the South African innings back on track with a 93-run partnership.

Klaasen brought up his half-century in style, hitting Hardik Pandya for a boundary to reach 51 in just 22 balls.

The right-hander went berserk in the next over, smashing Yuzvendra Chahal for two sixes and a boundary to send the home crowd into a frenzy.

Unadkat brought his superb innings to an end in the very next over as Klaasen edged a slow off-cutter to Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps.

David Miller was removed by Pandya in the next over as the Indians looked to make a comeback.

However, Duminy led from the front to take the battle to the Indian bowlers and kept the asking rate within range.

Fittingly, it was the Proteas captain who hit the winning runs. He smashed Unadkat for two consecutive sixes to bring up the victory in some style.

Earlier, India rode on some power packed batting to post 188/4 in their 20 overs.

Manish Pandey was the highest scorer for India with an unbeaten 79 runs off just 48 balls.

His power-packed knock, which included six boundaries and three sixes, provided the late impetus to the Indian innings.

The veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni gave him excellent support from the other end, remaining unbeaten on 52 runs off a mere 28 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes along the way.

Coming together in the 11th over, the duo added 98 runs between them to carry the visitors to a formidable total.

Fast bowler Junior Dala bowled well on his T20I debut, notching up figures of 2/28.

Asked to bat first, the visitors suffered a scare off the very first ball when Shikhar Dhawan edged a Chris Morris delivery onto his pads.

The umpire had initially ruled the left-hander out but had to reverse his decision after television replays revealed a clear inside edge.

But the Indians' relief was only temporary as Dala struck the first blow for the hosts with a delivery that kept low and trapped and outfoxed Rohit Sharma plumb before the stumps.

However, the arrival of Suresh Raina saw the momentum shift to the Indians' favour as he and Dhawan started to play in an aggressive manner and dominated the South African pacers. The duo kept the Indians on track with a 43-run partnership.

That prompted South African captain Jean-Paul Duminy to come into the attack and the off-spinner had an immediate impact as Dhawan hit his second delivery into the hands of Farhaan Behardien at mid-on.

Dhawan was in good touch, scoring 24 runs off 14 balls with three boundaries and two sixes.

Dala removed Virat Kohli in the next over, outfoxing the Indian skipper with some extra bounce as overjoyed wicket-keeper Heinrich Klaasen latched onto to the outside edge.

The momentum however, stayed with the Indians as Raina and Manish Pandey added 45 runs between them off the next five overs.

Fast bowler Andile Phehlukwayo broke the crucial partnership when he trapped Raina leg before. Raina's 24-ball knock produced 30 runs which included five hits to the fence.

That was the last bit of celebration the hosts will eventually manage as Pandey and Dhoni virtually tore the Proteas' bowling apart.

Brief scores:

South Africa: 189/4 in overs (Heinrich Klaasen 69, Jean-Paul Duminy 64 not out; Jaydev Unadkat 2/42) vs India: 188/4 in 20 overs (Manish Pandey 79 not out, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 52 not out; Junior Dala 2/28).


source: news agency

Virat Kohli rues missed chances after Wanderers defeat

JOHANNESBURG: Indian captain Virat Kohli lamented two crucial errors which effectively cost his team a chance of wrapping up the series in the fourth one-day international against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday.

"You have to take your chances in this game," said Kohli after David Miller escaped twice in one over at a time when India seemed to have taken control.

South Africa chased down a rain-reduced target of 202 in 28 overs with five wickets and 15 balls to spare to keep alive their hopes of sharing the six-match series after losing the first three games.

But the home team's chances looked slim when returning star AB de Villiers was fourth man out with 100 runs still needed and only 67 balls remaining.

In the next over David Miller, on six, was dropped by Shreyas Iyer at deep square leg off leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Back on strike in the same over he missed a sweep and was bowled -- only to be recalled when a replay showed Chahal had sent down a no-ball.

Miller went on to hit 39 and shared a quickfire stand of 72 with Heinrich Klaasen, whose 43 not out off 27 balls earned him the man of the match award.

Two weather interruptions played a key role. India were 200 for two, with Shikhar Dhawan on 107 not out when the threat of lightning caused a stoppage after 34.2 overs.

Dhawan added only two runs after the resumption and India lost five wickets for 89 runs to finish with a slightly disappointing 289 for seven.

South Africa were 43 for one after 7.2 overs when lightning, followed by rain, caused a lengthy delay. They came came back needing another 159 runs off 20.4 overs.

"It basically became a T20 game," said Kohli. "We did not grab our chances so we did not deserve to win."

Indian spinners Chahal and left-armer Kuldeep Yadav, who took 21 wickets between them in the first three matches, conceded a combined 119 runs off 11.3 overs on Saturday as they struggled to control a wet ball against aggressive batting.

"It was nice to put some pressure on the Indians. The message today was to put fear aside," said South African captain Aiden Markram.


Kohli, the star of a series in which India hold an unbeatable 3-0 lead, played another valuable innings, hitting 75 in a second-wicket stand of 178 with Dhawan. His 83-ball innings took Kohli to 393 runs for a series in which he has only been dismissed twice.

It was the third successive big partnership between Dhawan and Kohli. They put on an unbeaten 93 in chasing down a small target in the second match in Centurion and added 140 in setting up a win in the third match in Cape Town.


This time, though, it was the left-handed Dhawan who made the biggest contribution, hitting his 13th ODI century in his 100th match in the format. His 109 runs were scored off 105 balls, with ten fours and two sixes.


source: news agency

Don't know what I would do on the field without intensity: Virat Kohli

CAPE TOWN: Intensity is the hallmark of his batting and India captain Virat Kohli says he has no idea what he would do if that was gone, the primary reason behind his obsessive focus of physical fitness.

The 29-year-old run-machine slammed his 34th one-day hundred in the third ODI against South Africa on Wednesday, once again playing a pivotal role in a massive India win.

"Look I am going to be 30 this year...I want to play this kind of cricket even when I am 34-35. That's why I train so much because I am a guy who likes to play with intensity. Once that is gone, I don't know what I am going to do on the field," Kohli said reflecting on his unbeaten knock of 160, which guided India to a 124-run triumph for an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.

"I try to protect that. I try to train as much as I can. Keep a check on my diet. Those things pay off on days like these. When the team needs it, and you stand up, and you are able to pull through. As an athlete you crave for days like these," he added.


Kohli said Wednesday's hundred was special in the sense that he had to continuously change his game through the innings. He said these were hard earned runs on a tough wicket against a good bowling attack.

"International runs are never easy. They are hard earned. Some might come on more batting-friendly pitches, but I think with their attack, and the pace and bounce they were getting initially, you had to adjust your game.

"Then the wicket got considerably slower after the 30th over, so you had to again adjust your game, and make sure, with wickets falling also, that you continued adjusting through the innings," Kohli said.

Kohli said thinking of the team's requirements helps him gloss over the physical strains of playing a marathon knock.

"I was pleased from that point of view that I was able to bat through because I was struggling with a bit of cramp around the 90s. Then wickets kept falling, I decided to hit out, because I thought I might not have enough energy left.

"Then amazing things can happen when you are thinking about the team all the time. You can push your body beyond limits that you might not push yourself otherwise. I experienced that today, and that was an amazing feeling," he added.

This was Kohli's second highest ODI score. He also became the first Indian batsman to score a hundred against South Africa at Newlands. Overall, he scored his 12th ODI hundred as Indian skipper, going past Sourav Ganguly's record of 11 centuries.

Kohli said that there is a marked difference in how he approaches scoring runs when batting first and when chasing.

"Today I wanted to accelerate at different times. When Shikhar Dhawan was batting, my job was to take singles...and keep rotating the strike, to be able to get the partnership going. When he got out I wanted to accelerate but we lost 2-3 wickets immediately.

"When batting first, you switch roles -- one guy is aggressor and you become the guy who is rotating strike. When he goes, you take that role up and another guy rotates strike. That is how it is usually done," he said.

While chasing, Kohli said, it is easier to compartmentalise since the target is already there to be chased.

"Batting second is very different in terms of knowing what you need to do, when to accelerate, when to keep those singles coming, etc. Batting first, you want to score as many as possible but sometimes the situation doesn't allow you to play in a certain way that you want to throughout the innings," he explained.

India have now won three matches in an ODI bilateral series in South Africa for the first time. So much so, they are now on the cusp of a series win should they win the fourth ODI in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Given the Proteas' problems against wrist spin though, there is a possibility of a 6-0 scoreline as well, even if Kohli didn't agree to it just yet.

"We have to make sure we're not letting our guard down because we worked really hard from that last Test to win four games in a row on a tough tour of South Africa. We are really proud of ourselves as a team. But I think the job is not even half done yet.

"It's quite a far-fetched thing and still three games to go in the series," he said about the possibility of a 6-0 whitewash.


Kohli promised to up the ante in the remaining three games.

"Biggest positive out of today, with 3-0 up, is that there is no way we can lose the series now. That is certainly something that lifts the team even more. As I said we would have more intensity and more passion when we step out for the fourth game," Kohli signed off.


source: news agency

Wicketkeeper De Kock adds to South Africa's injury woes

CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s worrisome injury-list has been lengthened after wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock was ruled out for up to four weeks with a wrist injury, officials said on Monday.

De Kock joins stalwarts Faf du Plessis, Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers on the sidelines, though the latter is expected to resume training in the next few days.

De Kock was injured during South Africa’s heavy nine-wicket loss to India in the second match of their six-game series in Pretoria on Sunday which the hosts lost to go down 2-0 ahead of the third fixture in Cape Town on Wednesday.

“Quinton suffered an extreme blow to the left wrist while batting in the second ODI on Sunday and felt severe pain and discomfort,” team manager Mohammed Moosajee said in a media release from Cricket South Africa.

”Further investigation revealed severe bony bruising to the area, with associated swelling around the tendon in the wrist.
“This type of injury will require between 2-4 weeks to heal, which subsequently rules him out of the remainder of the ODI and T20 series against India.”

South Africa already have uncapped wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen in their squad.

Du Plessis (finger), Steyn (heel) and De Kock will now face a race against time to be fit for the first of four home tests against Australia that start on Mar. 1.


source: news agency

Injured Du Plessis ruled out of India series

CAPE TOWN : South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has been ruled out of the remainder of the one-day and Twenty20 series against India due to a fractured finger.

The injury could also sideline the 33-year-old from the first two tests against Australia next month.

It is another injury blow for the Proteas, who have already lost AB de Villiers due to a finger injury for the first three matches of the 50-over series against India.

Du Plessis fractured his right index finger in the six wicket loss to India in the opening ODI in Durban on Thursday, a match in which he scored a 120 runs to anchor the home innings.

He will be out of action for between three and six weeks, Cricket South Africa said in a statement on Friday, leaving him in a race against time to be fit for the first of four tests against Australia that start on March 1.

Farhaan Behardien has been called into the limited overs squad as a replacement, while the Proteas have also added uncapped Heinrich Klaasen as a reserve wicketkeeper-batsman.

There are five more ODIs in the series against India followed by three Twenty20 internationals.

source: news agency

Captain Kohli leads India to opening win in Durban

DURBAN: Captain Virat Kohli struck a stylish century to lead India to a comfortable six-wicket victory over South Africa in the first one-day international on Thursday and end the hosts’ 17-match winning streak on home soil. 

India amassed 270-4 to reach their target with 27 balls to spare at Kingsmead after South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who won the toss, scored 120 of his side’s 269-8. A record 189–run third-wicket partnership between Kohli, who made 112, and Ajinkya Rahane (79) set up India’s victory at the start of the six-match series.

Kohli reached his 33rd ODI ton off 105 balls while Rahane’s flamboyant knock came off 86 balls.

Their partnership was the highest for the third wicket in an ODI at the Durban venue, beating a two decade-old mark held by Pakistan, and ensured India eased to victory with wickets and overs to spare.

Du Plessis carried his side as his team mates were strangled by India’s wrist spinners, slumping to 134-5 with Kuldeep Yadav the pick of the bunch as he finished with figures of 3-34 in an economical 10-over spell.

Together with Chris Morris (37), Du Plessis piled on late runs to take South Africa to a better than expected total, and hand a sell-out crowd hope but still significantly short of a defendable target.

India have won eight of their previous nine ODIs chasing down a target and Kohli felt his side always in with a chance of doing so again.

“It was a special knock for me because the first game of a series is always important. When we restricted South Africa we knew we needed one partnership to effectively take us home,” Kohli said at the presentation ceremony.

The second game of the series is at Centurion in Pretoria on Sunday. South Africa top the International Cricket Council’s ODI team rankings with India second.

source: news agency

Ngidi named in ODI squad; Morkel, Morris return

Johannesburg: Young pace sensation Lungi Ngidi has been rewarded for his recent performances with a place in South Africa's squad for the six-match ODI series against India starting in Durban on February 1.

The 21-year-old had made his Test debut at Centurion and was named man-of-the-match for returning 7-for-90 as South Africa took the series 2-0.

Ngidi had previously missed out on ODI call-up because he was injured.

Pacer Morne Morkel and all-rounder Chris Morris have also been included in the 15-man squad. The duo returns after missing the ODI series against Bangladesh (in October 2017) owing to injuries.

More noticeably, South Africa have named two leg-spinners in the squad with orthodox Imran Tahir pairing up with chinaman Tabraiz Shamsi.

Middle-order batsman/wicket-keeper Khayelihle Zondo is another inclusion. He had previously toured India in 2015 but didn t feature in a single game as South African had won that five-match series 3-2.

Squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khayelihle Zondo.


Source: News Agency

Gavaskar, Pollock slam Wanderers pitch

Johannesburg :Former Test captains Sunil Gavaskar and Shaun Pollock today criticised the wicket on offer for the ongoing the third and final cricket Test between India and South Africa, terming it a "completely bowler- friendly pitch".

Gavaskar was of the view that Test match pitches needed to be of sporting nature.

"You can get a very flat surface which is totally in favour of batsmen.

This is a pitch which is totally in favour of bowlers," Gavaskar said while commenting on the pitch for SuperSport television.

Pollock went a level higher and termed the surface as a bad one.

"If you've got deliveries behaving like this on day two of a Test match it can't be judged a good surface," he said.

Pollock compared the Wanderers pitch with the Nagpur wicket of 2015 which was rated "poor" by the ICC when South Africa toured India.

"You go to India and get a surface like Nagpur where it turned too much. This can't be judged a good surface because as a batsman you are never in," he said.

Source: News Agency

India will fight back, asserts Pujara

The Indian batsmen may have been dismissed for a paltry total in the first innings of the third cricket Test against South Africa here on Wednesday, but Cheteshwar Pujara is confident that the visitors are still in with a chance.

The visitors continued their poor show with the bat in the first two Tests and were bundled out for 187 runs on the opening day at the Wanderers Stadium here.

Pujara, dismissed on 50, was one of only three Indian batsmen along with skipper Virat Kohli (54) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (30) to reach double figures.

However, with the Proteas losing opener Aiden Markram early in their first innings, Pujara asserted that a fighting performance by the Indian pacers may prove to be crucial.

"It was one of the toughest pitches I've batted on. I really had to work hard to score runs. Overall, we batted well. The runs on the board are sufficient and we can bowl them out. I think it's a good batting effort at the end of the day," Pujara told the media at the end of the day's play.

Kohli and Pujara struck contrasting half centuries as they added 84 runs between them in an attempt to bail out their team.

Pointing out that the pitch is not easy to bat on, Pujara opined that the South African batsmen will struggle to score as well.

"A lot of deviation and it was initially very slow, but there was enough bounce in the pitch.

There was a lot of lateral movement and a lot of deviation off the cracks. This was tougher than the Cape Town surface. We were just surviving out there," he said.

Source: News Agency

Gavaskar questions India's team selection for 2nd Test

CENTURION: Former captain Sunil Gavaskar on Saturday questioned India's team selection for the second cricket Test against South Africa, saying opener Shikhar Dhawan's "head is always on the chopping board".

India made three changes to their playing XI, with KL Rahul replacing Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma coming in for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose three-wicket burst in the first morning of the opening Test rocked the hosts.

Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha was ruled out due to a strain and Parthiv Patel was included is his place.

Gavaskar said: "I think Shikhar Dhawan is the 'Bali ka Bakra' (scapegoat). His head is always on the chopping board. He just needs one bad innings and he is out of the team.

"I also don't understand why Ishant came in for Bhuvneshwar when he had taken three wickets on the opening day at Cape Town. Ishant could have replaced Shami or Bumrah but leaving him out, I don't understand."

India were thrashed by 72 runs in the first Test against South Africa at Cape Town. Virat Kohli's men had folded for 135 in their second innings while chasing 208 to win the Test.

Source: News Agency

Centurion Test: Proteas ask India to field first

Centurion: South Africa have won the toss and asked India to bowl first in the penultimate second Test of the three-match series at the SuperSport Park here on Saturday.

Following the toss, Indian skipper Virat Kohli said, "No-brainer, we'd have batted as well. There seems to be a lot lesser grass.
Day one first session is always tough for the batsmen but we wanted to take that challenge. We have a forced change."

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, on the other hand, said that the Centurion pitch looks a bit up and down, adding that they are expecting a big fight from India

As far as Playing XI is concerned, the visiting side have made three changes.

Parthiv Patel has been included into the squad to replace Wriddhiman Saha, who is out with a hamstring niggle.

Meanwhile, KL Rahul and Ishant Sharma have been named to replace Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, respectively.

For South Africa, uncapped fast bowler Lungisani Ngidi will make his Test debut after veteran pacer Dale Steyn was ruled out due to a heel injury.

After slumping to a moral-sapping 72-run defeat in the opening Test in Cape Town to go down 0-1 in the series, India will look to bounce back to keep themselves alive in the series.

The world number one Test side will look to win this match if they want to become the first side in history to get to ten Test series win in a row with a victory over South Africa.

Meanwhile, India have also never managed to win a Test series on South African soil for the past 25 years. Their best result came during the 2010-11 series, which India drew 1-1.

South Africa, on the other hand, are riding high on confidence after their splendid outing in Cape Town and will aim to wrap the three-match Test series when they head into the second match.

It should be noted that South Africa had enjoyed a winning spree at Centurion like no other venue across this country with 17 wins and just two defeats.

India Playing XI: Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Rohit Sharma, Parthiv Patel(wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma.

South Africa Playing XI: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis(c), Quinton de Kock(wk), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungisani Ngidi, Morne Morkel.


Source: News Agency

Players need to put in more efforts: Kohli

Centurian: Indian captain Virat Kohli said that the players need to put in more efforts as the team cannot afford to play loose shots.

"I don't think we need to panic because of collapses. People need to apply themselves much better, whether you are playing five batsmen or six. Even if we are playing six batsmen, you can't afford to go out there and play loose shots", he said.

"You still have to have a solid technique and go out there and be ready to face. Bowling spells which are going to be difficult, we need to embrace that", he added.

However, Kohli didn't mention whether or not there will be a change in the playing eleven.

Indian captain Virat Kohli

"So, I don't think anyone needs to panic on that front and as far as your opening combination goes, we are going to decide at the end of the practice session today", the skipper said.

"No need to panic as a batting unit. We played well for a long time.

We also played away well in a recent couple of years. So, we just need to adapt and apply ourselves better when we go out to bat", he continued.

Talking about the South African pitches, Kohli emphasised that team needs to have intent because the kind of bowling attack South Africa has, especially on these pitches they get extra bounce and they get extra pace off the wicket.

"You can't be in a zone of not having the intent and see off 35-40 overs. You need to find the perfect balance to do well in South Africa especially where there is more bounce", he said.

Source: News Agency

Second Test: Faf du Plessis surprised by brown pitch

CENTURION: South African captain Faf du Plessis was surprised to see brown grass on the pitch that will be used for the second Test against India, starting at SuperSport Park on Saturday.

But there were no surprises for Indian captain Virat Kohli. "It looks a really lively pitch," Kohli said at his pre-Test press conference on Friday. "We expected it and we wanted it to be that way. Both teams are into the contest and will have to play some good cricket."

Kohli made it clear he would welcome another no-holds-barred battle in conditions as tough as they were in Cape Town, where South Africa won the first Test by 72 runs.

"We were pretty happy with the wicket and the way it played in Cape Town, it gave us many opportunities to stay in the game," said Kohli. "This pitch will again test us to play our best cricket and that is something we are looking forward to."

Du Plessis said he expected pace and bounce but admitted he was not sure how the pitch would play.

"It looks browner than I thought it would be," he said. "What I got from the groundsman was that it was burnt from the heat. Last week was very hot."

Although Centurion is Du Plessis' home ground, he said the pitch looked unusual. "There is a thick layer of brown grass so it's not something we're used to seeing. For us at the moment it's unknown."

Du Plessis said he expected India to mount a strong challenge.

"India at times were really good at Newlands. There were so many ups and downs for both teams. India were in the game for 90 percent of the time. I expect they will take a lot of positives from the game and I expect another huge performance from them."

Kohli said India's bowlers had shown their ability in Cape Town. "We're very happy with the way the bowlers went about their business. We believe we can get them out twice again."

But the Indian batsmen needed to step up. Kohli said they had gained from their experience in Cape Town - and the mistakes they had made there. "There is no need to panic as a batting unit, we have played well for a long time - and we have played well away from home as well. We just need to apply ourselves better."


South Africa have to make at least one change following a series-ending injury to Dale Steyn.

Source: News Agency

Funny, people who wanted Rahane out now want him in, says Kohli

CENTURION: India captain Virat Kohli on Friday took a dig at critics questioning Ajinkya Rahane's exclusion in the first Test against South Africa, stating that those who wanted his deputy's omission are now clamouring for his comeback.

"It's funny how things change in a matter of weeks, or just about five days. Before the first Test no-one thought that he should be in the eleven and now suddenly people are looking at the other option," Kohli said on the eve of the second Test, here.

The captain's comment is interesting given that Rahane's selection in the playing XI had not been called into question even once.

In fact, given his stupendous overseas record, it came as quite a shocker when his name was missing from the final XI for the first Test which India lost by 72 runs in three playing days in Cape Town.

"For us as a team, it's all about finding the right balance. If players fit in the kind of balance we want to go in with as a side, then they will fit in. We certainly don't go on opinions that are created outside, and talk of the town and all those sort of things," Kohli's sarcasm at the pre-match conference was not lost on anyone.

"He (Rahane) is a quality player. He has done well in South Africa, in all conditions actually away from home. He is probably been our most consistent and solid player away from home," the skipper said.

He repeated that Rohit Sharma was selected because of his current form.

"I explained the reasons why Rohit Sharma started ahead of him. I am not saying that Ajinkya cannot or will not start in this game. Possibilities are all open at the moment and we shall decide after practice."

While the skipper dropped hints that there might be changes in the playing XI without divulging any further.

"As far as the opening combination goes, we will decide today at the end of practice what is it that we are going to go within this game. We might do something different also but there is definitely no need to panic."

The wicket promises ample pace and bounce, but doesn't have as much green grass unlike the Newlands' wicket, reckons Kohli.

"It looks likely a really lively pitch. It is exactly what we expected it to be and we actually wanted it to be that way so that both teams are into the contest provided they play some good cricket. This pitch will again test us to play our best cricket and that is something that we are looking forward to do," he said.

Kohli urged his batsmen not get surprised by the bounce.

"We must not get surprised by the bounce here. We have to maintain composure when you get sudden change of bounce, which you experience in South Africa. Here the bounce can be steep from length also. You need to mentally tune yourself to these things and accept that it is going to be a major part of batting in South Africa."

The skipper feels that despite the mistakes committed, his batting unit is in much better shape for this game.

"I feel that definitely the batting order, through mistakes we committed in the first game and through the experience we gained in the first game, we are certainly in a much better shape to come at their bowling attack in this Test," he added.

Kohli, who is India's best batsman feels that there is no need to press the panic button yet.

"I don't think we need to panic because of collapses. Whether we are playing five batsmen or six, you still need to apply yourself.

"It doesn't mean that if you are playing six batters, you can afford to go out and play loose shots. You still need to have a solid technique and go out there and be ready to face spells, which are going to be difficult. We need to embrace that," explained Kohli.


India's slip catching has been shoddy even during their victories at home over the past year but the skipper defended his teammates.

"I am not going to sit here and talk about the last one year. The last game was pretty good, apart from one dropped catch from Shikhar in the first innings, which we looked at as a team. We want to plug all those game."

Source: News Agency

No reprieve for India in second test in Pretoria

CAPE TOWN : If India were hoping for a reprieve from fast and bouncy South African wickets in the second test starting on Saturday, they will not find it in Pretoria, a ground where the home side have a formidable record.

South Africa romped to a 72-run victory in the first test of the three-game series at Newlands in Cape Town on Monday, a match that effectively needed just three days to be completed with one lost to rain.

The Pretoria wicket is likely to be similar, with perhaps not the same sideways movement of Newlands, and will provide another test of the Indian batsmen’s bravery against a seam bowling barrage.

Vernon Philander looked at times unplayable in Cape Town, while the new leading bowler in test cricket, Kagiso Rabada, brings plenty of pace, fire and skill. He took 13 wickets in a test against England at the venue two years ago.

Morne Morkel will be the third seamer, with Chris Morris likely to play in place of the injured Dale Steyn. He will also strengthen the batting.

There have been murmurings that South Africa may even select a fifth seamer and leave spinner Keshav Maharaj on the sidelines, with Duanne Olivier, Andile Phehlukwayo and uncapped Lungi Ngidi in the squad to offer that option.

“In this series and for the rest of the summer, we will be looking to see how best we can fit four fast bowlers into whatever formula we come up with,” South Africa coach Ottis Gibson told reporters this week.

”When you are playing at home, you must play to your strengths. If you want to beat the best team in the world, which India are, then maybe we have to do something slightly different to what we’ve done in the past.

”We have to get stuck in and be tough with the bat and the ball; get in their faces a bit and use our physicality in terms of our pace.”

India know what is coming and their success will be determined by how they handle the threat.

They managed a match aggregate of 344 over their two innings in Cape Town and captain Virat Kohli has told his batsmen to take the attack to the home side.

”We need to have intent because of the kind of bowling attack they have,” Kohli said.

“You need to find the perfect balance to do well in South Africa, especially where there is more bounce. You cannot be casual at the same time you cannot have loose shots also.”

South Africa have a dominant record in Pretoria, with 17 wins and three draws in their 22 tests. Four of their last six victories have been by an innings, including against India in 2010, and the other two by more than 200 runs.


Source: News Agency