2nd Test: India’s batting effort quite poor, application and patience required were missing, says Kumble
In Guwahati on November 24, former India skipper Anil Kumble took the opportunity to voice his concerns about the home side’s batting performance during the second Test against South Africa, labeling it as “quite poor” and saying the players lacked the discipline, application, and patience that Test cricket demands. The match, played at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, had already seen India dismissed for just 201 in their first innings, giving the South Africans a hefty 314‑run lead and a clear path to series victory. After the pitch was described by spinner Kuldeep Yadav as “a road” at the close of day two, the Indian batsmen struggled to exploit the surface, failing to produce the big scores needed to stay competitive.
Following the early dismissal of openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, a rash approach to shot selection sparked a collapse, with India pushed from 95/1 to 122/7 in just a session and a half, setting the stage for a potential series defeat. “I felt India’s batting effort was quite poor. The application and patience required in Test cricket were missing,” Kumble said, noting that while some hard deliveries were bowled, the batsmen seemed ill‑prepared to weather the long spells that characterise multi‑day cricket. He added that what appeared to be a race to score runs quickly was unrealistic when 489 runs had to be built gradually, and that respecting the opposition bowlers was a crucial missing element.
The dismissals of B. Sai Sudharsan, Dhurv Jurel, and captain Rishabh Pant in just 13 deliveries were a case of “brain fade,” Kumble blamed, while praising left‑arm all‑rounder Marco Jansen who finished with figures of 6‑48. “Marco Jansen bowled exceptionally well, putting India under consistent pressure. When he started bowling bouncers, which can be tricky given his height and awkward length, India appeared unprepared to either leave or take the blows. That approach is essential in Test cricket to survive challenging spells, but unfortunately, it was lacking in India’s approach today,” he remembered. The former coach also lauded South Africa’s clinical performance over the three days, remarking that the Indian batters might have fared better had they mirrored the grit shown by Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav during their 72‑run partnership.
“South Africa has been spot on, even in their selection choices. Muthusamy came in as an all‑rounder who bowls sparingly, but his century was a major contribution. The partnership between him and Marco Jansen effectively took the game away from India.” Kumble observed that Jansen had bowled with clear intent and discipline, leading India to capitulate. He noted that while the lower‑order resilience of Sundar and Yadav was evident, the necessary fight and grit were missing up the order, especially on a pitch that demanded it. Concluding, “South Africa has dominated the match for three days and will be very satisfied with their position—leading by 325 runs with two days still left means they’re in a commanding spot.”
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