Sanjay Manjrekar called out skipper Rohit Sharma’s errors while guiding India against South Africa, saying that if one loses a moment, one loses the game.
Following the conclusion of the India vs. South Africa series on Thursday, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted skipper Rohit Sharma’s errors while leading the visitors, stating that if one loses a moment, they lose the game. Manjrekar told news outlets that the 36-year-old skipper made blunders in both Tests. He went on to say that it cost the visitors the first Test match. “If you lose moments in Test cricket, you lose the game.” Rohit made blunders in both Tests, and although the first cost us dearly, thankfully Siraj had made accommodation for the second. “It was a mistake for Siraj to bowl only one over while Markram was scoring and the lead had grown to 60,” Manjrekar told to news sources.
The former captain described Rohit Sharma as a “old-school” long-format batsman. He went on to say that if Rohit extends his career, there will be no competition.
“Rohit Sharma is one of the last of the old-school Test batters.” Only he knows how much Test cricket he wants to play. I believe he will have no competition if he wishes to extend his Test career. Virat Kohli, I believe, will play as long as possible, which is good news for us. “This tour in tough conditions is just the difference between him and the next best Test batter India has, at least until Rishabh Pant returns,” he continued.
In the second Test, South Africa chose to bat first and were bowled out for 55 in 23.2 overs, with Kyle Verreynne (15) and David Bedingham (12) the only players to reach double figures.
Mohammed Siraj’s ferocious 6/15 performance annihilated the Proteas’ top and middle orders, while Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) and Mukesh Kumar (0/2) also claimed wickets.
India was 153/4 at one point in their first innings, with solid scores from Virat Kohli (46 in 59 balls, with six fours and a six), Rohit Sharma (39 in 50 balls, with seven fours), and Shubman Gill (36 in 55 balls, with five fours), but a three-wicket over from Lungi Ngidi sunk India to 153 all out in 34.5 overs.
For SA, Ngidi (3/30), Kagiso Rabada (3/38) and Nandre Burger (3/42) each grabbed three wickets.
Later in their second innings, SA finished day one at 62/3, with Aiden Markram (36*) leading the way. Dean Elgar scored 12 runs in his final Test innings. Mukesh took two wickets, while Bumrah took one. The next day, despite Markram’s valiant century of 106 in 103 balls with 17 fours and two sixes, Bumrah’s six-wicket haul (6/61) cleaned out SA for 176 in 36.5 overs, leaving India with just 79 runs to win.
Mukesh Kumar claimed two wickets, while Prasidh Krishna and Siraj each took one. India brought down the mark in 12 overs with seven wickets in hand, thanks to innings from openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (28) and skipper Rohit Sharma (16*).
Siraj was named ‘Player of the Match,’ and the score was 1-1 when the trophy was shared.
