Published: Dec 07, 2013, 10:17 AM (IST)
Edited: Dec 07, 2013, 01:35 PM (IST)
Dec 7, 2013
In the first One-Day International (ODI) played between South Africa and India, the visitors crashed to a heavy defeat. A few former South African cricketers spoke about India’s short-comings.
South Africa’s former captain Kepler Wessels said the experience of playing on a track with pace and steep bounce may help India’s opening batsman Rohit Sharma. Times of India reported him as saying, “It can happen to a batsman who is playing on such a pitch against this kind of an attack. Probably, this longish stay in the middle will help him get into some form in the games to come.”
Former South African top-order batsman Peter Kirsten well-known for his good technique during his playing days said, “They can’t go around playing the way they do in the subcontinent…It’s crucial that they give themselves some more time in the middle.”
The South African camp on the other hand feel the track at Durban may help India fare better. Their current captain AB de Villiers said, “The pitch there is a touch flatter and I think it will be to their liking,” de Villiers said. He added that he expects India to mount a strong fightback. “If I know India, they won’t take this lying down…we are expecting a tough game at Durban.”
