India vs South Africa 2nd Test Day 3 Highlights: South Africa take lead to 314 after India’s batting collapse

Anil Kumble has slammed Rishabh Pant and India’s approach in the first innings so far. Pointing to how Washington Sundar went about with his batting, Kumble slammed Pant for not copying Bavuma’s approach in the first Test and helping his side to reach safety in the second session. 

“I think it was a pretty, pretty bad way to go about it. The skipper running at the fast bowler first. I know he plays the way, but then you know that you’re behind in the series, not just in the series, but also in the match. It’s important to just hang around there and then lead from the front. We saw Temba Bavuma do that in the first test match. However, in this Test, India, it’s been disappointing so far, so they need to really pull up their socks if they have any chance of coming back in this Test match,” said Kumble. 

Steyn also criticised the Indian batter, saying there was no need to be aggressive at that situation, especially when India was reeling. 

“To be honest with you,  just after tea, I just feel as a captain you need to apply yourself a little bit longer in a situation like this, where you are behind the eight ball. We’ve seen the way that Temba Bavuma has captained the team and other players have taken inspiration out of that, Muthusamy, the way that he batted, other players, the way that they’ve batted, and applied themselves to this particular wicket. It looked like a bad time. Runs have come. Marco Jansen is probably the one guy who’s been come out there and played aggressively, but as a captain you just need to lead a little bit better. You’ve been out in the field for 150 overs. You come out there with the bat. You’re not gonna win the game in an over. You’re not going to win the game in a session. You have to take the game a little bit deeper and India just aren’t able to do that. They weren’t led the way that they should be able to do that in that dismissal,” said Steyn.