Ravichandran Ashwin lamented India's body language on the field in the ongoing second Test against South Africa and expressed hope that Rishabh Pant's men could bounce back while batting in the second innings. Having already lost he first Test in Kolkata, India are staring at another series defeat on home soil.
After conceding 489 in the first innings, India managed only 201 runs, giving the visitors a commanding lead. While the bowlers lacked threat on a flat Guwahati pitch, the batters failed to put up a fight, with only Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a 50-plus score.
Taking to X on Day 4 of the Test match, Ashwin posted a picture of stand-in-captain Rishabh Pant along with a caption that read, “I really hope we can bounce back while batting in the 2nd innings, but the indications on the field with respect to body language (with a broken heart emoji).”
With two more days left, India will need to grind hard with the bat on the fifth day to save the Test and force a draw. Even that won't prevent a series defeat, as India lost the Kolkata Test by 30 runs while chasing 124 runs in the fourth innings.
India team selection baffles Ravi Shastri
Earlier, former India head coach Ravi Shastri had questioned the Indian team management's selection in the series, especially the usage of all-rounder Washington Sundar. The Tamil Nadu cricketer was promoted to No 3 spot in the Kolkata Test before being dropped to No 8 spot in Guwahati.
"In Kolkata, you picked four spinners and one of them bowled only a single over, when you could’ve easily picked a specialist batter. And here, after making Washington bat at three in the last Test, you could’ve slotted him at four today since you already had your number three. He’s not a number eight. He’s much better than that,” Shastri said while on commentary.
Interestingly, Sundar, who was one of the four spinners in the first Test in Kolkata, bowled just one over in the entire game, which lasted only three days. The other spinners in the first Test were Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. At Tea on Day 4, South Africa are 107/3 in their second innings, leading by 395 runs.
