South Africa in India, Sept-Oct 2019

[prasen9]

In the morning session, Jadeja bowled beautifully. The pitch still does not have much in it for the bowler. But, Jadeja's pace and subtle spin has helped. Ashwin, on the other hand, had a horrible time.

[PKBasu]

Follow-on enforced again. The right decision, although not quite as straightforward as in the last test.
That both the first two days' play was curtailed to about 60 overs each surely helped make the decision easier. And Quinton is gone already!

[rajitghosh]

The way the Proteas are falling makes me wonder if the series is fixed. Must be the most one sided series against a so called top team in recent times.

[PKBasu]

The legend of Shami, the second innings King, continues to grow. 3/7 in his first five spectacular overs. Umesh bowled at the end of the previous innings, so he shouldn't have bowled more than 4 overs at the start of the next innings. This is becoming an excessively long spell for him.

[PKBasu]

But just as I wrote that, Umesh bowled a snorter that smashed into Elgar's helmet. Astonishing how deadly the Indian pacers seem on the same pitch that Rabada's mates were looking utterly mediocre on. (Admittedly Rabada looked pretty potent on the first morning too). I hope Elgar is OK. In the pre-helmet days (in which I played my district-level cricket ) batsmen knew how to duck and weave. The helmet seems to have ironically made batsmen more injury-prone...

SA 26/4 at tea (taken a bit early after that injury scare for Elgar: hope he's OK).

[prasen9]

Follow-on enforced again. The right decision, although not quite as straightforward as in the last test.
That both the first two days' play was curtailed to about 60 overs each surely helped make the decision easier. And Quinton is gone already!

Actually, this was an easier decision. Not too much time left. So, of course, you bowl again.

[PKBasu]

South Africa go down to an abject 0-3 thrashing. India's all-win record in the world test championship stays intact -- and with it, a solid lock on the probability of making the final in 2021.
South Africa's collapse, though, is worrying for world cricket. They were pretty awful in the World Cup too, but getting thrashed like this is something else. Without Steyn, I suspect they are already much less potent even at home (as SL showed). I hope SA doesn't go the way of the West Indies

A dream test debut of course for Shahbaz Nadeem -- 4/40 in the match, and a superb run out. The wait was worth it, although I don't know how many more test opportunities he'll get.

[prasen9]

Nadeem will be on a hattrick if he plays a test match again.

This has been an awesome series for the batsmen. Kohli, Rohit, Mayank, Rahane, and Jadeja were awesome. Pujara was okay.

With the ball, Nadeem, Shami, Ashwin, Umesh were awesome. Jadeja was good to okay. Only Ishant failed.

Saha was sublime behind the wickets. Only blemishes were yesterday when he missed a few balls when he had the finger injury.

South Africa have four good to great bats: Markram, Elgar, Faf, and Quinton. They need a few more bats. Bavuma is a failure. But they keep continuing with him. They need to continue with Philander, Lungi, and Rabada to make it an all black/colored pace attack and replace Bavuma, who may be getting chances because he is black. Maybe throw in Pehlukwayo if it is a pacy pitch. The spinners seem to be Maharaj and Linde. They just need a few more bats. Hamza showed some promise but has been a tad inconsistent. Perhaps worth pursuing.

[rajitghosh]

South Africa should have brought ABD and Amla out of retirement. It would have been a different contest.

[PKBasu]

ABD, perhaps, although he is ageing and may not have been up to playing test cricket. Amla's form and average had faded by the time he retired.

[prasen9]

Amla's form and average had faded only slightly in comparison to his great standards to merely good. It would still have been better than any of the other batsmen's who came to India. Amla in 2019 averaged 44 in 4 tests and in 2018 was 41.25 in 10 tests. Of course, we do not know how well he would do against India given that Faf, another of their good players failed too but at least he would have been most possibly better than the Bavuma, de Bruyns. Maybe more consistent than Hamza, who barely got a chance.

[PKBasu]

At this year's World Cup, Amla's scores were 13, 6, 6, 41* (against Afghanistan), 55, 2. Poor by any standards, and of course relative to his own high past standards. His poor form was a big reason for South Africa's failure at the World Cup. Only after SA were knocked out did he make 80* in the dead rubber against Sri Lanka to boost his average.

[prasen9]

Different game altogether. Maybe there is some correlation but not much. Pujara, Ishant, etc. don't even play in the ODI games. I think the past 14 tests should mean much more towards how he would have done in India rather than six ODI innings. Also totally different conditions.

[PKBasu]

And this is how Amla fell away in the 10 tests since India toured SA in early 2018. Against Australia (in SA): 56 & 27; 31 & 31; 27 & 16. Against Sri Lanka (in SL): 15 & 0; 19 & 6 (series average: 10). Versus Pakistan (in SA): 8 & 63*; 24 & 2*; 41 & 71. And against SL (in SA): 3 & 16; 0 & 32 (avg: 12.75).

It would have been difficult to pick him on form for the India tour, even if he hadn't retired.

[prasen9]

That is true. If you drop the India tests, in the last 11 tests, he was pretty bad averaging around 25. But, look at the numbers for De Bruyn. He was awful too over 9 tests or so and still got selected. Rahane got carried for two years. Greats get carried despite having a bad 11 tests. I do not think he would have made a difference. Du Plessis did not. RSA needs at least one more batsman to emerge to go along with Elgar, Du Plessis, De Kock, and Markram.