IND vs SA: Ashwin can continue to play spin all-rounder's role in any conditions, says Kohli
Cricket | January 10, 2022 18:18 ISTKohli said Ashwin has filled in the void left by the injured Ravindra Jadeja in an outstanding manner.
Kohli said Ashwin has filled in the void left by the injured Ravindra Jadeja in an outstanding manner.
However, the skipper did not say whether Ishant Sharma will get the nod ahead of Umesh Yadav for the match.
Kohli said he has set a high standard for himself as far as performing for the team is concerned and has never bothered himself by what people outside the team has to say about him.
The squad reached Cape Town on Saturday for the third Test that is scheduled from January 11.
Pant bagged a three-ball duck in India's second innings total of 266, but it was the brain-fade manner of dismissal which set the cricketing world on fire.
Pujara and Rahane had been in wretched form in the run-up to this second innings and their 111-run stand formed the cornerstone of India setting a target of 240-run for the Proteas.
After missing out on the second Test against South Africa due to an upper back spasm, India Test captain Virat Kohli was back on the ground training ahead of the third day's play on Wednesday.
Following his seven-wicket magical spell vs South Africa on Day 2 of the second Test, Shardul Thakur revealed he spotted a crack in between the back of length to good length area and was aiming to hit that spot to get the ball back into the right-handers.
India finished Day 2 of the second Test against South Africa with a lead of 58 runs as Shardul Thakur's seven-wicket haul bundled out the hosts for 229 in reply to the visitors 202.
Shardul Thakur has come a long way but his childhood coach Dinesh Lad says he never really had to do anything special to mould the driven all-rounder except for 'working on his mental strength'.
Ashwin added that Rahul had found the solution to what he needed to respond within Test cricket, which is working for him.
Rahane admitted his disappointment from the dismissals in the first Test at Centurion. Rahane made stroke-filled 48 and 20 in both innings of the Centurion Test.
Vice-captain KL Rahul, who will stand in for Kohli in the match, said at the toss that the skipper is expected to be available for the series-finale from January 11.
As a Test captain, Dravid led India to a 123-run win in the first Test at Johannesburg in 2006. India had a 1-0 lead but went on to lose the next two Tests in Durban and Cape Town by 174 runs and five wickets respectively.
At 29, de Kock called time on his Test career last week citing family reasons, although the wicketkeeper-batter will continue to play in the shorter formats of the game.
If the 'Boxing Day Test' was used to breach the Proteas' fortress at the Centurion, the New Year's game will be all about stoutly defending the 'Bull Ring' bastion which has been a 'home' away from home for the Indian team.
The hosts, who are trailing 0-1 in the three-match series after losing the first Test by 113 runs, will look to bounce back and prevent a first-ever series defeat at home to their opponents.
India registered a comprehensive 113-run win over South Africa in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. It was also India's first-ever Test victory at the Centurion, which is largely considered to be a fortress for South Africa.
When Bumrah didn't bowl much in the first innings, Shami stood up with 5/44 to bowl out South Africa for 197.
Just before the national anthems were played, players from both India and South Africa along with everyone in the stadium observed a minute's silence in the memory of the world-renowned statesman. Apart from the South African team, the umpires Marais Erasmus and Adrian Holdstock were also spotted wearing the black armbands.
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