Despite poor performances by youngsters in two-Test series against SA, India skipper Rohit says it’s important to give them confidence on difficult pitches
India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal during Day Two of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town, on Thursday. Pic/PTI
This was to have been a baptism by fire for India’s ‘younger’ batting group on their first Test tour of South Africa—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer. But given the conditions that confronted them, especially in the 642-ball Newlands Test, it will be impossible to judge them. Accomplished performers Dean Elgar (201) and Virat Kohli (172) were the respective top-scorers for their sides, and no one else apart from centurions KL Rahul and Aiden Markram topped 100 runs in the two-Test series.
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Against this backdrop, it was understandable that Rohit Sharma threw his lot behind the aforementioned Indian trio. Gill, who made a pleasing 36 in the first innings in Cape Town, finished with 74 runs, Jaiswal had 50 and Iyer 41. For the record, Rohit—on his third tour of South Africa—himself only mustered 60 runs. While Gill and Jaiswal will get a longer rope given their age and recent record, the 29-year-old Iyer will be feeling the heat somewhat, with only 86 runs from his last eight innings and a highest of 31, in the first innings in Centurion.
Tough batting conditions
“Especially in this country, we know batting is very difficult,” the skipper observed. “Especially when you play on pitches like that, obviously it’s tough. You’ve got to show a lot of faith. You’ve got to show a lot of trust. And especially in the guys who have come here for the first time, Shubman Gill, Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer.
“It’s important to give them that confidence and allow them to play their game as well. That is something we discussed before the start of the Test series, that we want to allow them to play the way they want to play. While doing that, it may not come off because they all are naturally quite aggressive in how they want to play.”
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Rohit Sharma
Rohit isn’t unaware that India’s next big away Test series isn’t until the end of the year, when the team will travel to Australia for five matches. The pitches there won’t be anywhere near as demanding as the ones in South Africa, and India have the added advantage of Gill having already played, and performed, in that country. In the immediate future is a five-match showdown against England beginning in 20 days’ time, and while not too much of what was learned here can be put into practice on Indian decks, Rohit still saw this as a part of the learning curve for the next generation.
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Lots to learn from SA
“They can learn a lot from these two games as to what is required when the pitches are like that,” he noted. “When it is slightly challenging, when it is swinging, when there is a lot of lateral movement, and especially with the guys who are bowling from a little bit of height as well. They must have learned a lot from the series, and they can take a fair bit of confidence as well. Although they didn’t get big runs, I think that’s okay.”
Rohit helps me maintain positive frame of mind: Yashasvi
Yashasvi Jaiswal has no qualms in admitting that the South Africa series was a challenging one and said it was India skipper Rohit Sharma, who helped him maintain a positive mindset. Jaiswal managed only 50 runs in four innings on bouncy tracks at Supersport Park in Centurion and Newlands in Cape Town as the two-Test series ended in 1-1 draw.
“Rohit Sharma helps me maintain a positive frame of mind and we needed to score runs quickly against new ball,” said Jaiswal after his quickfire 28 off 23 balls set the tone during India’s chase of 79. “I just wanted to give a good start and that was all there was in my mind as we had to win the match. In last three innings and even in this knock, I had done the same thing,” Jaiswal added.PTI
50
No of runs scored by Yashasvi Jaiswal in the two Tests against South Africa
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