IND vs SA: "Only Person I Know Who Played Us Well Was Sachin Tendulkar" - Allan Donald On Indian Batters Stuggles

Legendary pacer Allan Donald feels that South Africa is a challenging place for overseas batters due to the movement of the ball. Allan Donald emphasized that Sachin Tendulkar is the only standout batsman to have successfully navigated the South African conditions.

South Africa remains the unconquered territory for India in Test cricket, as they have never secured a series victory in the Rainbow Nation. India’s hopes of breaking the streak were dashed after suffering an innings and 32-run defeat in the first Test of the ongoing series.

Indian batters struggled to adapt to the fast-bowling-friendly conditions marked by substantial bounce and movement. This deficiency was evident in the first Test match, with the Rohit Sharma-led team posting scores of 245 and 131 in both innings in Centurion.

Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul displayed resilience in the first innings, scoring 101 runs to help the team achieve a decent total. Virat Kohli scored 76 runs off 82 balls in the second innings, while Shubman Gill (26) was the only other Indian batter to reach double figures.

It’s Not An Easy Place To Combat – Allan Donald

Allan Donald emphasized the substantial movement of the ball in South Africa, particularly when compared to Australia or England. Donald underscored the necessity of footwork to handle these conditions while praising Sachin Tendulkar.

“It’s not an easy place to combat. We see that daily in South Africa, the ball does nip around more than it does in Australia or England. If your footwork isn’t 100 percent then you are in trouble,” Donald told the Press Trust of India (PTI).

“Only person I know who played us well was Tendulkar, who triggered (had a trigger movement) while batting in South Africa rather than stand on middle-stump. He pressed forward and left the ball amazingly well,” he added.

It Will Be A Very Good Test Pitch – Allan Donald

Sharing advice with visiting batters in South Africa, Allan Donald suggested that effectively leaving the ball creates opportunities as bowlers are compelled to adjust and become more penetrative.

“If you leave the ball well here, you can score runs. You got to get bowlers to come to you and search a little bit more. They start coming to you, the opportunities of scoring get better,” Donald stated.

“It’s an interesting phenomenon as it’s tough to bat. In Cape Town though, it will be a very good Test pitch. It will flatten out quickly, so you need to work very hard,” he further added.

Sachin Tendulkar boasts an impressive record in South Africa, accumulating 1161 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 46.44, featuring five centuries. Virat Kohli has also excelled in the nation, amassing 833 runs at an average of 52.06, including two centuries.

India captain Rohit Sharma struggled in red-ball cricket in the Rainbow Nation, accumulating just 128 runs in 10 Test innings at an average of 12.8, with only one half-century. He recorded scores of five runs and zero runs in the two innings of the series opener in Centurion.

Also read: IND vs SA: Allan Donald Slams Indian Bowlers For Incompetent Outing In 1st Test Against South Africa at Centurion