IND vs SA: "That Was A Blunder" - Sanjay Manjrekar Blasts Rohit Sharma's Captaincy In 1st Test

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar criticized Rohit Sharma’s captaincy during the first Test match against South Africa. Sanjay Manjrekar expressed disappointment with Rohit Sharma’s strategy of starting with Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna after lunch.

India faced a defeat in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Centurion, losing by an innings and 32 runs within three days. The Indian bowlers encountered difficulties against the opposition batters, conceding 408 runs in the first innings on a seamer-friendly track.

Jasprit Bumrah secured a four-wicket haul (4/69) during the match, while Mohammed Siraj contributed with two wickets (2/91). In contrast, Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna faced difficulties, each managing only one wicket and conceding a total of 194 runs in 39 overs.

There Was A Certain Amount Of Underestimation – Sanjay Manjrekar

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar was surprised by the inconsistent bowling plans of the Indian team throughout the Test match. Sanjay highlighted instances where discipline was lacking and suggested that the captain should intervene to maintain focus.

“I think there was a certain amount of underestimation of the South African batting after India got 245. But yes, it wasn’t one of Rohit Sharma’s best days or Test matches as captain. That was a blunder (starting with Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna after Lunch). These are the moments that you have to cash in. That was a huge mistake,” Manjrekar said.

“Plus, the bowling plans as well, not just the bowling changes. I was just amazed by what the Indian bowlers kept trying almost throughout the Test match. You had an instance of Marco Jansen getting the outside edge and the ball just falling short of KL Rahul. After that, there were a couple of deliveries in that same region, and then there was the bouncer, and then there was a full-length delivery, and then something going down the leg side. That was unexpected and that is somewhere where the captain could come in and say,’ Guys, time running now, let’s stick to discipline,'” he added.

South Africa amassed an impressive total of 408 runs in response to India’s first-innings score of 245. The Men in Blue were subsequently bowled out for 131 in the second innings, failing to surpass South Africa’s total.

Shubman Gill’s Defense Is Getting Breached A Bit Too Often – Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar pointed out concerns about Shubman Gill’s defense, citing instances in the World Cup final. Sanjay suggested that Shreyas Iyer needs to make significant improvements in his defensive technique to survive in Test matches.

“Shubman Gill’s defense is getting breached a bit too often. It happened in the World Cup final as well in an ODI match on an Indian pitch. So, his defense needs to get a little more tight to the balls pitched up,” Manjrekar said.

“Amongst the three (young batters), Shreyas Iyer has the most work to do on his defensive technique. He does not just have one issue of defense; there are few that he needs to correct. And one thing in Test matches, you cannot counterattack, hit a few boundaries and put a bowler off because he does not have a limit on how many overs he can bowl.”

Shubman Gill, despite his excellent performances in white-ball cricket, has been unable to replicate his success in Test matches. The Indian No. 3 faced difficulty against the South African pace bowlers, managing scores of 2 and 26 in the Boxing Day Test match.

In the first innings, Shreyas Iyer made a respectable start, contributing 31 runs before being dismissed by Proteas’ lead pacer Kagiso Rabada. Unfortunately, his performance took a downturn in the second innings, where he could only manage a meager six runs.

Also read: IND vs SA: Selector Will Remember This Sanju Samson Innings For A Long Time- Sanjay Manjrekar