Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed disappointment with India’s performance in the Test series against South Africa, emphasizing the missed opportunity to secure a historic win in the Rainbow Nation. Despite India winning the second Test, Manjrekar pointed out that this South African team was the most beatable, and failing to clinch the series was regrettable.

“If I am the coach or the captain, I will look at it as a regret. If you look at the past and the teams India had to beat in South Africa, they were tough teams. This was the most beatable South African team. Dean Elgar’s 185 prevented India from actually creating history,” Sanjay Manjrekar stated in an interview with ESPNcricinfo.

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He expressed dissatisfaction with the scheduling, questioning the need for a three-match ODI series between the T20Is and Tests, especially in a non-ODI World Cup year. Manjrekar argued that this disrupted the flow and preparation for the Test series.

Regarding South Africa’s commitment to Test cricket, Sanjay  Manjrekar criticized their decision to send a second-string squad to New Zealand during the SA20 and suggested a lack of emphasis on the longer format. He highlighted the significance of Dean Elgar, stating that without him, the South African team would have lost the first Test against India.

“Imagine this South African team without Dean Elgar. They would have lost the first Test. They don’t give that much importance to Test cricket as well, so I don’t think the future is rosy. The bowling wasn’t impressive too,” Sanjay Manjrekar concluded.

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Despite India’s win in the second Test, Sanjay Manjrekar’s remarks underline the missed opportunity and the challenges faced by the team in the series against South Africa.