Manjrekar emphasized the critical nature of losing pivotal moments in a match, stating that such lapses can ultimately result in losing the entire game.While speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar commented on the errors made by the 36-year-old captain in both Test matches, noting that these mistakes proved costly for the visitors, particularly in the outcome of the first Test.
“In Test cricket if you lose moments, you lose the game. Rohit made mistakes in both Tests and while it cost us massively in the first game, thankfully Siraj had given allowance for the second Test. Siraj bowling just one over when Markram was scoring and the lead swelled to 60 was a mistake,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.
Referring to Rohit as an “old-school” player in the longer format, the former skipper asserted that there would be no contest if Rohit prolongs his career in this manner.
“Rohit Sharma is still among the last of the old-school Test batters. Only he can tell us how much Test cricket he wants to play. I think if he wants to extend his Test career, there will be no competition. Virat Kohli I feel will play as long as possible and thankfully for us. This tour in tough conditions just the difference between him and the next best Test batter India has at least until Rishabh Pant is back,” he added.
Recapping the second Test match, South Africa elected to bat first and was bundled out for just 55 in 23.2 overs, with Kyle Verreynne (15) and David Bedingham (12) being the sole players to touch double digits.
Mohammed Siraj’s fiery spell of 6/15 destroyed the Proteas’ top and middle order, while jasprit bumrah (2/25) and Mukesh Kumar (0/2) also took wickets.
In their first innings, India was 153/4 at one point, with solid scores coming from Virat Kohli (46 in 59 balls, with six fours and a six), Rohit Sharma (39 in 50 balls, with seven fours) and Shubman Gill (36 in 55 balls, with five fours), but a Lungi Ngidi three-wicket over sunk India to 153 all out in 34.5 overs.
Ngidi (3/30), Kagiso Rabada (3/38) and Nandre Burger (3/42) took three wickets each for SA.
Later in their second innings, SA ended the day one at 62/3, with Aiden Markram (36*) doing the bulk of the scoring. Skipper Dean Elgar managed 12 runs in his final Test innings. Mukesh got two while Bumrah got one wicket. On the next day, though Markram scored a fighting century, a knock of 106 in 103 balls with 17 fours and two sixes, the six-wicket haul by Bumrah (6/61) bundled out SA for 176 in 36.5 overs, setting India just 79 runs to win.
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Mukesh Kumar took two wickets while Prasidh Krishna and Siraj got one. With the help of knocks from openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (28) and skipper Rohit Sharma (16*), India chased down the total with seven wickets in hand in 12 overs.
Siraj won the ‘Player of the Match’ award and both sides shared the trophy with the scoreline at 1-1.
(With ANI Inputs)
