By: Tarish Bhatt
India played positive cricket, they were ruthless in their approach and eventually managed to get the better of South Africa in almost every department in the four-match Test series.
Had it not rained in Bangalore, India could have ended up whitewashing South Africa. In Bangalore, India were in a commanding position, and now they would be counting it as a missed opportunity.
India had the home advantage to their disposal, the pitches were turning and were crafted to suit the home team. Fair to say, the hosts used that advantage, and managed to rip apart the visitors with ease.
Despite India being a notch higher than South Africa in every department, a number of things were said about the playing conditions, pitch in particular.
The Mohali and Nagpur pitches were under scrutiny, as they turned out to be rank turners, and the pitches were credited more than the performance of players on the field.
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin showed superb skills throughout the series, and produced some rippers to leave South Africa bruised and beaten on every single day.
The pitch was offering turn, square turn maybe, but it needs skills and control to land the ball in right areas, and utilize what was at offer, both Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin did just that.
“You are free to write whatever you want,” Virat Kohli said. “We will do what we can do, and that is perform. If we do well, you will write good things. If we falter, our weaknesses will be pointed out, which is fair.”
“But if it’s written that pitch is a factor in victory, then it’s unfair,” Virat Kohli added. “We are international cricketers, we are working hard, a match is not so pitch-dependent that a team sees a pitch and immediately concedes defeat.”
Virat Kohli is right. You cannot surrender a Test match seeing the pitch. Application, grit and determination is required to see through ball, overs, sessions and days to strengthen the grip in the match.
South Africa lacked skills and temperament to withstand the pressure created by Indian spinners, they looked tentative and unsure while facing the turning ball, and were eventually beaten.
