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[Saba Sports News] The second Test between South Africa and India at Newlands, Cape Town, concluded remarkably quickly, finishing in just five sessions. This match has been noted as the shortest ever in terms of balls bowled, leading to criticism of the pitch by former cricketers.
India’s captain Rohit Sharma stated that his team had no issues with these conditions but expects silence from foreign media when playing on spin-friendly pitches in the subcontinent.
In this match, South Africa was dismissed for just 55 runs in their first innings, and India also faced a collapse, losing six wickets for no runs in their second innings. Aiden Markram’s century in the third innings was a highlight, but he lacked support from other batters.
India eventually won by seven wickets, although the pitch presented significant challenges for batting. Reflecting on this, former cricketer Jacques Kallis observed a lack of patience in modern cricketers, noting their tendency to play aggressively rather than settling in.
Kallis suggested that a more patient approach could have extended the match’s duration. “The guys certainly aren’t patient anymore… guys now try to hit their way out,” Kallis commented.
Kallis also pointed out that the pitch’s uneven bounce and sideways movement were major challenges for the batsmen, rather than its speed. He acknowledged the difficulty of batting on such a surface and conceded that India simply outplayed South Africa. “It was more about the uneven bounce and sideways movement… India just outplayed us,” he added.