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SpORTS JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Indian Eye 46

indian toUr of soUtH africa

Game over for Pujara & rahane as

Men in Blue lose Test series 1-2 to Proteas

As South Africa defeated India in the third and final Test to clinch the three-match
series, we bring to you glimpses of action on the field and off it

potential and beating a side like In-
OUR BUREAU
dia will help them do better overseas
Cape Town (South Africa) also,” he added.
Wassan further said that Ajinkya
ndia Test skipper Virat Kohli ad- Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are
mitted that batting let the visitors
Idown in the Test series against not doing enough for the team and
may not get more chances in future.
South Africa but did not directly “I think the ship has sailed for
comment on Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar
Ajinkya Rahane’s spot in the team. Pujara because they are not doing
South Africa on Friday defeat-
ed India in the third and final Test enough. An odd 40 and an odd 50
will not work for them, it is not ex-
to clinch the three-match series 2-1 pected. Our batsmen have lost us the
here at Newlands in Cape Town on series this time. They have not given
Friday. “Batting has let us down in bowlers enough runs to defend 20
the last two games I would say and wickets,” said Wassan.
there is no running away. I can’t sit
here and talk about what could hap- KoHli stays aWay from
pen in the future (about Pujara and
Rahane),” said Kohli in the press drs controversy
conference.
ndia Test skipper Virat Kohli on
Friday shied away from throwing
Pujara scored 43 in the first Ilight on the controversial DRS

innings and nine in the second call that had helped Protea’s skipper
Dean Elgar get his LBW decision
essay of the final test but ra- overturned in the fourth innings of
hane failed to leave a mark in the Cape Town Test here at New-
lands.
both innings as he scored nine Cheteshwar Pujara Team India was visibly irked af-

and one in the third game. ter a controversial Decision Review
decide to do obviously I cannot com- team is not what we have seen be- System call which helped Elgar on
ment on that sitting here,” he added. fore. I am disappointed not shocked Day 3. The controversial call evoked
Kohli said if any decision has to
India had won the first Test by
be taken on both batters’ future, then 113 runs but South Africa registered as these things happen in cricket but different reactions from KL Rahul,
I was not expecting this kind of a fight
skipper Virat Kohli, and spinner
it is the duty of selectors and not the wins in the second and third Test to back. It is a good sign for South Af- Ravichandran Ashwin. After the de-
captain. clinch the series. rican cricket because somewhat they feat in the third Test, skipper Kohli
“You probably have to speak to
the selectors about what they have in sHiP Has sailed for were falling of the map. There were said the visitors know what happened
England, Australia and India domi-
exactly and he is not there to justify
mind because this is not my job. As I nating. A good South African team his actions which had sparked a de-
have said before, I would say again, raHane and PUJara, says will work very well for Indian cricket. bate on Thursday.
we have continued to back Chetesh- atUl Wassan Having not won the series and lost “I have no comment to make. I
war and Ajinkya because of the kind the series is disheartening but lessons understood what happened on the
of players they are and what they ormer India cricketer Atul to be learnt,” Atul Wassan told ANI. field and people on the outside don’t
have done in past in Test cricket,” Wassan expressed disappoint- “I think Rahul Dravid has been know exactly what goes on the field.
said Kohli. Fment after South Africa de- where we were in the series after So, me to try and justify what we did
“They played crucial knocks in feated the Men in Blue to clinch the
the second Test against South Africa three-match series 2-1 here at New- leading 1-0. They have done that be- on the field and say ‘we got carried
fore also but yes this is the weakest
away’.... If we would have charged
in the second innings which got us to lands in Cape Town on Friday. side but in hindsight you can see the up and picked up three wickets
the total we could fight for, so these India had won the first Test by way their batsmen played especially there that could have been probably
are the kind of performance we rec- 113 runs but South Africa registered Petersen and Bavuma and Van der the moment that could change the
ognise in the team but what the se- wins in the second and third Test to Dussen. So, they have played very game,” said Kohli while replying to a
lectors have in mind and what they clinch the series. “Definitely this
well. It shows that they have got the Continued at next page... >>

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