Big picture: Bruised India out to salvage series
This South Africa Test tour was billed as the final frontier for India, and it continues to be unbreachable. Despite rain interruptions and South Africa losing their designated captain Temba Bavuma to injury, India lost the Boxing Day Test inside three days to crash to an innings defeat. As if that wasn’t bad enough, India were docked two WTC points for maintaining a slow over rate. The challenge will only get stiffer for them in the second Test at Newlands, where they have never won a Test in six attempts.
The second-innings batting collapse sealed India’s fate in the first Test, but it was the bowling that needs immediate remedy. The change bowlers, Shardul Thakur and debutant Prasidh Krishna, lacked control, leaking a combined 194 runs in their 39 overs for just two wickets. Should India bring in Mukesh Kumar or Avesh Khan for Prasidh? Should they drop Thakur to create room for an out-and-out quick? Or should they simply trust…
