Going into the second day, Ashwin hopes Indian batsmen can post a big total
Ravindra Jadeja bowled exceptionally well in tandem with R. Ashwin to bowl South Africa out cheaply. (Photo: DC)
Bengaluru: Virat Kohli’s decision to bowl first turned out to be brave and rational at the end of the day, admitted R. Ashwin, who along with Ravindra Jadeja tormented the South Africans on the opening day of second Test on Saturday.
“I don’t know, now it seems so at least. I think the wicket was a little damp, that’s the feel we got initially so we wanted to bowl first and see what we could extract out of it. Even the first-class games played here generally the first day does a little bit. Taking all that into consideration, I think it was a rational decision,” said Ashwin, who scalped 4/70 to go with Jadeja’s 4-50.
With not much turn compared to the Mohali deck, Ashwin said that bowling on the Bengaluru track was trickier. “I don’t think there was enough on offer for the spinners. We were not beating the bat as often as we were doing in Mohali, but Jadeja was very, very good in the session after lunch, he was bottling one end up, which was precisely our plan and from there on they played a few false shots and brought us back into the game,” he explained.
Going into the second day, Ashwin hopes Indian batsmen can post a big total. “The first session will be crucial, I guess, but we started pretty well. They have a paltry score on the board.” Meanwhile, rival coach Russell Domingo too was surprised with India’s decision to bowl first.
“Looking at their side. Three seamers. The history of the ground. We were surprised,” he said. With AB de Villiers missing out on a century in his 100th Test, Domingo felt the RCB batman was unlucky. “(I’m) disappointed that he got out. He is always looking to score and that’s how he plays always. He was just unlucky to get out.
The odd ball bounced,” he stated. The South Africans bowlers are keen to exploit the first session looking for a breakthrough. “We want to try and make some early in roads. We are long way behind in the game at the moment. But a good first session will get back us in the game,” he concluded.
Kohli snaps a 41-year-old history: WIn toss, field first
It’s a strange piece of statistic but stunning all the same. Since 1974, no captain has opted to bowl first on winning the toss at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium. Only Virat Kohli, still in his nascent stages as captain chose to blow the theory off the roof. For the first time in 41 years and 20 Tests, a team opted to bowl as Kohli sent the South Africans in, gambling on the overcast conditions and the moist surface.
It could have backfired as the visiting coach Russell Domingo admitted that it took them by surprise but Kohli’s spinners ensured that the brave decision stood justified as they spun out the visitors for 214 in 59 overs on Day One. The Chinnaswamy has several historic notes attached to it, the young Kohli just ensured that he would vault right to the top of it with his brand of instinctive cricket.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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