Veteran Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer reckons that Team India can only level the ongoing three-match series if they manage to score more than 500 runs in the first innings of the ongoing second Test against South Africa at Centurion.
During the launch of the jerseys of teams of the SAI-Mumbai Masters T20 League, Jaffer said, “We have bowled them out, now we need to bat really well. If we get 500 plus in this (first) innings, I see India leveling the series. Most of them have played in South Africa, they have been there and other countries like Australia, England and New Zealand, they know what to do, they just need time in the middle and once they get going, this wicket will suit Indian batsman.”
He further added, “We are in a very strong position. We made a very good comeback on the first day evening when (Hashim) Amla got run out and we got six wickets (in the day).”
India lost the first Test match at Cape Town by 72 runs as in both the innings of the first Test, the Indian batting line-up collapsed. Talking about the same, Wasim said, “We were a little unfortunate (with) the kind of wicket we got (in the first Test at Cape Town). I don’t think we were outplayed, it’s just that probably one good inning, would have made us go top in the series.”
He further elaborated, “But you have to give it to the South African bowlers as well, it was a very testing wicket, even their batsman failed. They play on this kind of wickets all the time, they failed as well. It is not that we have lost very handsomely, we came very close, we were in the game all the while. It is just that probably one big knock or one big partnership is what we missed.”
India made three changes in the playing XI of the Centurion Test as they brought back Ishant Sharma replacing Bhuvneshwar Kumar and KL Rahul replaced Shikhar Dhawan as the opener replacing Shikhar Dhawan with KL Rahul.
When asked about the changes, Jaffer replied, “You got to leave those decisions to the captain and the coaches, they are very experienced players and they won’t do any selection to harm the side. They know what they are doing, you got to respect them (as) they are answerable to the team as well as the whole nation. You got to leave it till the end of the series to ask questions; they are the once who make the decisions and you got to respect them.”
