IND vs SA 1st Test: 'Undercooked' Team India lacked will to fight - Aakash Chopra on humiliating defeat in Centurion

Add as a preferred source on Google

South Africa dealt a crushing defeat to India in the first of the two-match Test series, as they won the Centurion Test by an innings and 32 runs and finished the game inside three days.

The loss has once again highlighted India's struggle to assert themselves in foreign conditions, and the formidable reputation of the Indian team on paper did little to protect them from the relentless onslaught by the Proteas.

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, hosting JioCinema's daily sports show '#AAKASHVANI,' dissected India's performance and the factors that led to their downfall at Centurion.

IND vs SA 1st Test Review: Team India's Lackluster Performance

As the third day's play unfolded, hopes for an Indian fightback lingered in the air, but reality proved to be a humbling innings defeat. Chopra pointed out that, except for KL Rahul in the first innings and Virat Kohli in the second, the rest of the team lacked conviction.

The absence of a willingness to play tough, endure body blows, and hold their ground was evident. Rohit Sharma, the captain, fell victim to Kagiso Rabada in both innings, while Yashasvi Jaiswal struggled to adapt to the challenging conditions. Shreyas Iyer's performance also left much to be desired. The need for the team to bat for extended periods, a requisite for a comeback, remained unmet.

"When the third day's play began, I felt there was a realistic chance of an Indian fightback. But that did not happen. An innings defeat is quite humbling," Chopra stated.

"Except for (KL) Rahul in the first innings and (Virat) Kohli in the second, the others did not look convincing. No one looked like willing to play ugly, take body blows, and stick around. Rohit Sharma was out to (Kagiso) Rabada in both innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal is still far from figuring out these conditions. Shreyas Iyer didn't look good. India needed to bat four to five sessions which did not happen," he added further.

IND vs SA 1st Test: Bowling Woes for India

The 46-year-old former India opener shed light on the stark contrast in the performance of the bowling units. The South African bowlers, both in stature and effectiveness, outshone their Indian counterparts.

The Centurion pitch, with its uneven nature, played into the hands of the tall Proteas bowlers, who extracted superior bounce and movement. In contrast, India's bowlers, with few exceptions, failed to make a significant impact.

"The South African bowlers stood tall, literally and figuratively. On the Centurion pitch that was quite uneven, their tall bowlers extracted better bounce and movement," he observed.

India's Bowling Unit Looked Undercooked

According to Chopra, while Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj showed glimpses of brilliance, the rest struggled to find their rhythm. Spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin remained restrictive, Shardul Thakur looked middling, and Prasidh Krishna, in his debut Test, failed to make a lasting impression.

"Amongst India's bowlers, barring (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Mohammed) Siraj in patches, no one bowled well. (Ravichandran) Ashwin was restrictive, Shardul (Thakur) was middling and Prasidh Krishna did not leave much of an impression in his first Test," he remarked.

Chopra highlighted a crucial aspect contributing to India's bowling woes - the undercooked nature of the unit. For instance, Shardul Thakur, who last played in the initial stages of the World Cup, had been without competitive matches for a month or two, rendering him rusty and less effective on the challenging South African pitches.

"The bowling unit looked rather undercooked. For example, Thakur last played initially in the World Cup, but has not played competitive matches for the last month or two. He looked rusty," claimed the cricketer-turned-commentator.

Lack of match practice seemed to echo through the performance of the entire Indian batting and bowling lineup in Centurion. The defeat in the opening Test emphasises the need for a more strategic approach ahead of the final second Test should they wish to return home with their heads held high.