Former South African batter Hashim Amla feels that more collective experience in Team India was the main reason behind their win in the first Test against the Dean Elgar-led side in Centurion.
Team India had a great start to their tour to South Africa. The Virat Kohli-led side thumped the hosts by 113 runs in the first Test in Centurion to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Batting first, after winning the toss, the Virat Kohli-led side on account of KL Rahul’s sensational 123 runs and vital contributions from Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane posted a first-innings total of 327 runs on the board.
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Mohammad Shami then took five wickets and helped Team India bundle out South Africa for just 197 runs, taking a first-innings lead of 130 runs.
The visitors then set a target of 305 runs to chase, which the hosts failed to do as Indian bowlers were all over them and bowled them out for 191 runs to become the first Asian side to win a Test match in Centurion.
Talking about the first Test, former South African batter Hashim Amla said that it was a fair result as India has been a strong unit for over two years and has more experience and runs on the board backed them.
He pointed out that once Indian batters posted a first-innings total of more than 300 runs on the board, it was game on for the South African batters to match that score.
“It was a fair result. They (India) have been a strong unit over the last two years or so. They have more experience collectively and it always makes a huge difference when you have runs on the board to back you up.
“Centurion is notorious for becoming more difficult to bat as the days progress. So once India won the toss, batted, and scored in excess of 300 it was game on for the Protea batters to match that score at the very least,” Hashim Alma said.
Amla pointed out that South Africa being 130 runs behind in the first innings was the difference between the two sides. He said that Indian batters showed great discipline and left well outside off but being the home side, the Proteas let themselves down in that area.
“Being 130 runs behind is what really hurt them, and it ended up being the difference. Day one, the pitch looked best for batting, and credit to the Indians for playing disciplined cricket. It’s obvious when teams come to SA that their batsman talks about leaving well outside off stump and that’s probably were the Proteas let themselves down,” he said.
Suggesting some positives for the hosts, Amla said the three fast-bowlers "all had their moments in the game". He was also pleased with senior batter Temba Bavuma, who scored 52 and 35*, saying the right-hander often looks confident and unfazed at the crease.
“Not challenging the defence enough. That was day one, but on day two, though, they did extremely well to restrict the Indians to 327. They could have got to 400 plus. The bowlers all had their moments.
“Lungi (Ngidi), KG (Kagiso Rabada) and the youngster (Marco) Jansen stand out of course. However, in a relatively low-scoring match I enjoyed watching Temba Bavuma. He always looks like he has time and seldom troubled,” he said.
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Hashim Amla concluded by saying that Quinton de Kock opting out of Test cricket will cripple the South African batting further. He suggested that management should send Temba Bavuma to bat higher and allow him time to play a solidifying role.
“Our two best batters in the middle are Temba and Quinton (de Kock). Now that Quinton has opted out of Test cricket, this cripples the batting line-up further, and really, now more than ever, it makes it imperative for Temba to bat higher. Be it three or four, allow him time to play a solidifying role as opposed to a recovery one,” he concluded.
The second Test match between South Africa and India will take place at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on January 3.
(PTI Inputs)
