Team India continued their dominance in the longest format by recording a comprehensive 203-run victory in the Test series opener against South Africa in Visakhapatnam.
By virtue of this win, Virat Kohli and company also secured a 1-0 lead and will now look to wrap up the series in the second Test in Pune. On the other hand, the Proteas will hope for a win in order to force the series into decider in Ranchi.
Amid the excitement around the second Test, former India opener Gautam Gambhir, in his column for TOI, reflected on India’s win in Vizag and also predicted a tough road ahead for the visitors.
"The first Test in Vizag took me back in time as India went 1-0 up in the three-match Test series against South Africa. The pattern of the game reminded me of the 90s. The script began with India winning the toss, batting first and almost out-batting the visitors from the contest. Post that, the nature of the pitch at Visakhapatnam took over. Out of 20 South African wickets, Indian spinners took 14 and the rest went to some clever reverse swing by Mohammad Shami. It seemed all too familiar," he wrote.
"In the 1990s too, Indian captains would rely heavily on the toss, pitch and spinners. And luckily for them all three - toss, under-prepared pitches and spinners - dutifully obliged as India became almost invincible at home. It will be unfair to take anything away from the Indian team and credit everything to the elements. I am only suggesting a pattern that Indian captains have followed over the years," the southpaw added.
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Gambhir also said that the red soil on Pune pitch will make life difficult for the South African batsmen.
"By the looks of it, Pune will be no different. The red soil that prevails in western India may just afford a bit more bounce but I will be very surprised if South Africans can challenge the Indian team. Their batsmen showed some application, but it was only in patches. Like the Asian batsmen struggle to adjust to sharper, steeper bounce of South Africa or Australia, the South Africans too are at their wits end to comprehend the lower and sometimes uneven bounce," he stated.
Gambhir lauded wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for their impressive 'comebacks' into the Test side.
"I was pleased for both Wriddhiman Saha and R Ashwin. Both are making a comeback of sorts. Yes, the scoreboard shows 14 byes against Saha, but I thought he was very good with his wicket-keeping to spinners. He is a quiet man but I can tell you he has a lot of cricketing intellect about him," he opined.
Rohit Sharma justified his elevation as a Test opener by slamming two classy centuries in Visakhapatnam. He followed up his majestic 176 in the first innings with an equally brilliant 127 in the second dig to script India’s victory.
Hailing Rohit for his herculean effort at the top, Gambhir wrote: "On a different note, whoever advised Rohit Sharma to play his natural game in Test matches was my man of the match. It is easy to get Rohit to get into a defensive mode just because it is Test cricket. But I am glad Rohit didn't follow stereotypes and instead brought out the game that he knows best. I have no apprehensions in declaring him as the most dangerous and the best batsman in the world today. Like Virender Sehwag, Rohit too can set up and chase Test wins for India. Just handle him with care and lots of love."
