IND vs SA: "Virat Kohli And Ravi Shastri Were Ruthless.."- Sanjay Manjrekar

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar reckons pace-bowler Prasidh Krishna would have been dropped in the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri era. The young pacer who was making his debut in Test cricket at the SuperSport Park in Centurion against South Africa, did not have a memorable outing. He could only manage to take one wicket and gave 93 runs.

Sanjay Manjrekar wants Mukesh Kumar to play in the next game but he believes that the current team management will back Prasidh Krishna as they care about giving a fair run to every player. Mukesh Kumar made his Test debut earlier this year in July when India toured the West Indies. He took two wickets in his debut which ended in a draw.

“If Mukesh Kumar plays, I don’t think too many people will be unhappy. They will be looking at how he is bowling in the nets and think if it is fair on Prasidh Krishana because that is something the new management cares about, giving a fair run. The earlier team management would have been ruthless. Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri were trigger-happy with such things,” Sanjay Manjrekar said during an interaction.

Sanjay Manjrekar argued that the Rahul Dravid-operated team management would like to give another opportunity to Prasidh Krishna. However, it is just a two-match series which would make them have some interest in making changes. “These guys might give one more go. But it is a two-match series, they might be keen to make changes,” Sanjay Manjrekar further added.

Sanjay Manjrekar Feels Shardul Thakur Will Continue In The Playing XI

Apart from Prasidh, questions were also raised on Shardul Thakur’s performance with the ball. The pace-bowling all-rounder took only one wicket and gave 101 runs. However, Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Shardul Thakur will continue to play in the XI because of his all-round abilities. He also has a good record in South Africa. Thakur took a seven-wicket haul in an innings during the 2021-22 tour.

“Shardul Thakur plays because he can bat. He plays especially in foreign conditions because India is always a little wary of their batting, and you saw why India is a little uncertain about their batting, and hence, Shardul Thakur tends to make the playing XI,” the former India cricketer concluded.

Sanjay Manjrekar feels there should be a few tweaks that should be done in the team and India would be looking to level the series in the next Test which is scheduled for January 3 at the Newlands in Cape Town. India faced their first defeat in the current WTC cycle and it has affected their PCT very much because of being an innings defeat. They currently stand in sixth position with a PCT of 38.89 behind the likes of Bangladesh and Pakistan.

India has never won a Test series in South Africa and the final frontier will remain unconquered as the Proteas shattered the hopes for a series win right in the first Test after they defeated India by an innings and 32 runs. The second Test will be India’s chance to retain some stability in the ICC WTC Points Table.