India enters the second Test in Pune this Thursday with high confidence after a stellar performance in the series opener. A commanding 203-run win was fueled by Ashwin's impressive 8 wickets for 189 runs and a powerhouse double century from Rohit Sharma. Rohit's unpredictable and dominant batting made him the obvious choice for Player of the Match. After such a record-breaking start, Virat Kohli is hoping his star right-handed opener can repeat that success in the upcoming match.
After an outstanding performance of India in the first Test, will look to close the series in the second match in Pune, starting Thursday. Ashwin and Rohit Sharma’s performances helped India beat SA by 203 runs in the open series. In that game Ashwin ended with figures of 8/189 and Rohit crashed double centuries in the match. Rohit was unpredictable player of the match. The last match broke multiple records and Indian skipper Virat Kohli will be hoping of a comparable performance at the top from the right-hander in the 2nd Test Match.
Faf du Plessis reflected on the previous game, admitting that losing the toss was a major blow. While observing some greenery on the pitch this morning, he jokingly asked Virat Kohli for tips on how to win tosses in India. Du Plessis believes that if his bowlers can perform early in the first innings, they can put the game away long before the final days. He also confirmed a tactical shift in the lineup, bringing in Nortje instead of Piedt to inject more pace into a three-man seam attack.
India's status as a powerhouse in Test cricket was on full display in Visakhapatnam, where they secured a 203-run win to take a 1-0 lead in the third series. The decision to play Rohit Sharma at the top of the batting order proved to be a masterstroke, as he hammered consecutive centuries. He was well-supported by Mayank Agarwal, who is also in peak form after scoring two centuries of his own.