Media365
India’s bewildering approach to team selection has come under renewed scrutiny during the ongoing Test series against South Africa. The No. 3 spot, already a revolving door in recent weeks, became the centre of another debate during the second Test in Guwahati. Before the series, the management tried both Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan in the role. Yet, when the series began, it was Washington Sundar, primarily known for his spin-bowling, who was surprisingly promoted to No. 3. Sudharsan was in the squad but overlooked for the XI.
The experiment drew plenty of criticism, but India added another twist in Guwahati. Sudharsan finally made the Playing XI and walked out at No. 3 – only for Sundar to be pushed all the way down to No. 8 in the same innings. Former India pacer Dodda Ganesh didn’t hold back, calling the selections baffling. On the field, things were equally grim. India folded for 201 in response to South Africa’s imposing 489, collapsing yet again on Day 3. Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav did offer a rare bright spot, stitching together a gritty 72-run partnership for the eighth wicket after India slipped to 122 for 7. Sundar battled for his 48 off 92 balls, while Kuldeep hung in for 19 off 134 deliveries. Without that stand, India would have been staring at an even bigger disaster. The rest of the batting card made for a bleak reading: KL Rahul (22), Sai Sudharsan (15), Dhruv Jurel (0), Rishabh Pant (7), Ravindra Jadeja (6) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (10) all fell cheaply. Once Sundar departed, South Africa made quick work of the tail, securing a massive 288-run first-innings lead. The damage was led by Marco Jansen, who produced a sensational spell of 6 for 48, with Simon Harmer adding 3 for 64. India now finds itself not only battling South Africa, but also its own muddled decision-making.
