IND vs SA: Too Much Uneven Bounce On This Surface: Aakash Chopra Slams Johannesburg Pitch

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra slammed the Wanderers pitch for extracting uneven bounce during the second day of the second Test.

Both Indian and South African pacers were seen bowling a barrage of bouncers on the second day. In the first session, South Africa skipper Dean Elgar had to duck too many bouncers released by Jasprit Bumrah & co.

Even when the Proteas came to bowl the situation was the same as Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen were seen releasing short balls, especially to Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahane.

Too much uneven bounce on this surface: Aakash Chopra

Chopra felt that this pitch isn’t an ideal one for a Test match and recalled India’s last visit to South Africa when they won the third Test here. Elgar was hit on a couple of occasions that time as he was battling to save the game for his side.

“Too much uneven bounce on this surface for a day-2 pitch. It was far worse last time around…but even this one isn’t ideal for Test cricket. IMHO. #SAvInd,” Chopra tweeted.

Shardul Thakur wreaks havoc in South African camp

Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur bowled a magnificent spell of 7/61as the Proteas were bowled out for 229.

Thakur first broke the 74-run alliance between Elgar and Keegan Petersen as he sent the former back to the dressing room. Thakur used his back of length delivery that poked Elgar’s edge to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.

He later dismissed the well-set Keegan Petersen with a wide length ball that shaped away and kissed the batter’s outside edge before flying to Mayank Agarwal at the second slip.

At the stroke of lunch, the all-rounder got Rassie van der Dussen, though the catch taken by Pant wasn’t clear the batter was declared out as umpires failed to give an explicit verdict on the dismissal.

Thakur once again separated the set duo of Temba Bavuma (51) and Kyle Verreynne (21) as he got both the wickets in successive overs to achieve his maiden five-wicket haul.

Thakur later picked the last two wickets of Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi to restrict South Africa’s lead to just 27 runs, which India managed to get past in the eighth over of their second innings.

Although Indian openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal departed at the end of the day, senior batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane remained firm at the crease and took India’s lead to 58 at the end of the day’s play.

Also Read: Shardul Thakur Was One Of The Chief Architects Behind India’s Win At The Gabba, And In England– Sunil Gavaskar