Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj provided a glimpse into the tactical changes he has made from the first Test to the second in Cape Town. Siraj acknowledged the challenging conditions favouring batters during the initial phase of his bowling in the first Test. In response to this observation, he deliberately shifted his focus to the release of the ball, opting for precision over excessive force. This strategic adjustment proved to be highly effective, delivering positive outcomes for both Siraj and the team collectively, on a manic Wednesday.
“When I was bowling in the beginning, I felt like my end favoured the release. Whenever I was putting in an effort, it was becoming manageable for the batters. So, I decided to just release the ball. And as we saw, the results were more effective as well,” Siraj said.
23 wickets fell on Day 1!
Mohammed Siraj's 6-fer, India's batters' horrible collapse, and South Africa still trailing by 36 runs with 7 wickets in hand in their 2nd innings@CricSubhayan reviews Day 1 straight from Cape Town@ThumsUpOfficial #SAvsIND #ViratKohli #MohammedSiraj pic.twitter.com/teLusvZGLv
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) January 3, 2024
Discussing the aftermath of the Boxing Day Test defeat, Siraj said: “After our innings concluded in the previous match, we had conceded too many runs. I recognised that I had made several attempts. In my Test cricket journey, it was the first instance where I secured a maiden in the 24th over. Although I haven’t reviewed my videos, I understood my mistakes quickly. I had a clear understanding of what I needed to rectify in the next game.”
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Elgar fancies defending 100 in the fourth innings
South Africa’s stand-in captain, Dean Elgar believes his team can defend a target of 100 runs in the fourth innings of the Cape Town Test, pointing to the Proteas bowling potential to bounce out the opposition on a pitch with inconsistent bounce. Despite trailing by 36 runs at the end of Day 1 and losing key wickets, including Elgar’s farewell innings, the captain remains optimistic about South Africa’s chances.
“I would take 100 (victory target) all day. When our bowlers click, they can rip through any batting lineup and on this wicket that is possible,” said Elgar.
Elgar acknowledged criticism for choosing to bat but mentioned that the pitch appeared better to the naked eye. He praised the Indian pacers for exploiting the conditions and admitted uncertainty about the pitch’s behaviour.
“I didn’t know it would play in that way though, with the naked eye it did not look so bad. But it’s one of those wickets where if you knuckle down, you never know what can happen,” Elgar said.
The opener praised the Indian pacers for exploiting the conditions and admitted uncertainty about the pitch’s behaviour, noting its increasing pace throughout the first session.
“You still have to put the ball in the right area and they (India) executed it to a tee. This pitch just seemed to get quicker as the (first) session went on. I don’t know what to make of it,” the stand-in captain who retires after this Test added.
An eventful Day 1 of the second Test between India and South Africa at Cape Town’s Newlands witnessed the fall of 23 wickets. After opting to bat first, South Africa were bundled out for 55 runs, with Siraj securing his career-best Test bowling figures of 6/15 in nine overs.
In reply, India suffered a dramatic collapse, losing six wickets without adding any runs. They were eventually out for 153. At the end of day’s play, South Africa stood at 62/3 in their second innings.
Also Read: Indian batters must adapt to overcome South African challenge in Cape Town