IND vs SA: India Would Like To Bat A Little Better In 3rd Test, Says Coach Rahul Dravid

Updated - 07 Jan 2022, 12:45 PM

Rahul Dravid, IND vs WI
Rahul Dravid (Image Credit: Twitter

India head coach Rahul Dravid has said that his team would like to bat a little better in the upcoming IND vs SA 3rd Test, which is scheduled to begin on January 11, 2022, in Capetown. His words came after India lost to South Africa the 2nd Test by 7 wickets on Thursday.

With South Africa’s victory in Johannesburg Test, the three-match series is tied at 1-1. This makes up an exciting clash for the 3rd Test, where the victorious team will also win the Test series. India has never won a Test series in South Africa, losing 6 out of the 7 series played so far and 1 ending in a draw.

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Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid. (Photo: BCCI)

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Certainly, We’d Like To Bat A Little Bit Better: Rahul Dravid

During the post-match media conference on Thursday, Indian coach Rahul Dravid accepted the team’s average batting show in the IND vs SA 2nd Test and asserted that they will look to bat a bit better in the next game.

“The wickets in the first two tests have been a little challenging, I will give that to the batsmen. But we pride ourselves on wanting to do better and the batting unit certainly can look to maybe seize a few key moments and when we get those partnerships, maybe make them a little bit longer”.

“In the first innings the ball sort of tended to kick up a little bit, but we could have probably got maybe 60-70 more runs. Certainly, we’d like to bat a little bit better. We need to keep improving and getting better. Maybe some of the guys who got starts could have converted those into hundreds”, Rahul Dravid said.

KL Rahul after his century in Centurion. Photo- AFP
KL Rahul after his century in Centurion. Photo- AFP

Also Read: IND vs SA: Dean Elgar Reveals How He Fired Up Kagiso Rabada To Perform Against India On Day 3 Of Second Test

The former India skipper Rahul Dravid also pointed out that while KL Rahul’s century helped India to win the 1st Test, Dean Elgar’s batting enabled South Africa to clinch victory in the 2nd game.

“I think that was the difference in the first Test where KL Rahul went on to get a hundred for us and we ended up on the winning side. In the second Test, they had someone (Dean Elgar) who ended up on 96 and they ended up on the winning side. It really shows you the importance, on these kinds of wickets, with one of your batsman going on and making a big score”, Rahul Dravid further said.

In IND vs SA 2nd Test, India opted to bat first after winning the toss. With a lone half-century by KL Rahul, the team posted 202-10 in the 1st innings. South Africa responded with 229-10 and gained a 27-run lead. Later, India was bowled out for 266 in the 2nd innings, with Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara hitting half-centuries.

Temba Bavuma, Dean Elgar, South Africa
Temba Bavuma, Dean Elgar. (Photo: Getty Images)

Chasing a 240-run target in the 2nd innings, Dean Elgar slammed an unbeaten 96 runs to clinch the victory for his team. South Africa won the match by 7 wickets, taking the series to a tie 1-1. In the 1st Test, India defeated South Africa by 113 runs.

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IND vs SA 2021 India National Cricket Team India vs South Africa KL Rahul Rahul Dravid South Africa national cricket team