File photo of Irfan Pathan.© Instagram
South Africa spoiled India’s dream of winning a Test series in the Rainbow Nation for the first time by handing an innings and 32-run defeat to the guests at SuperSport Park in Centurion. With the series consisting of only two matches India can at best earn a share of the honours if they win the second Test starting in Cape Town on Wednesday. Ahead of the final game, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has suggested some changes in the team. He wants India to replace Ravichandran Ashwin with Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI.
“Ravindra Jadeja, if fit, should come back in the team. Ashwin did bowl well from what was expected out of him on that pitch but we missed Jadeja’s control while batting at number 7 in Centurion,” said Pathan on Star Sports as quoted by India Today.
“If you’re Rohit Sharma and you want to go with the same bowling attack, that’s also fine. But if you’re thinking of making a change, Mukesh Kumar could come in for Prasidh Krishna. But if you feel Prasidh is confident in the nets, then he should be backed for the second Test,” the former India star added.
India skipper Rohit Sharma had no qualms about admitting that his team was simply not good enough to challenge South Africa, putting the blame for the embarrassing loss in the first Test on the lack of collective effort.
India put up a shoddy show both with bat and ball as they were bundled out for 131 in 34.1 overs in their second innings after they allowed South Africa to score 408 in 108.4 overs in their first essay. The visitors had scored 245 in the first innings.
(With PTI Inputs)
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