"India's batting effort was quite poor": Kumble Slams India's batting after 201 all-out vs South Africa

Guwahati (Assam) [India], November 24 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble said that "India's batting effort was quite poor" and that they lacked "fight" and "grit" in the first innings in the Test against South Africa in Guwahati. India, after conceding 489 runs in the first innings, got all out for just 201 runs in the second innings of the Test, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Washington being the only batters to cross the 30-run mark.

After facing a defeat in the series opener in Kolkata, India's chances to level the two-match series against South Africa look grim, as they trail the match by 314 runs. South African all-rounder Marco Jansen was the standout performer for the Proteas with the ball, bagging a six-wicket haul.

Speaking on JioStar's show 'Cricket Live', Kumble criticised India's batting in the Test match, saying it lacked patience, resilience and the session-by-session approach required in Tests. He praised Marco Jansen's bowling, noting India struggled to handle challenging spells, including bouncers, and focused too much on scoring quickly instead of building their innings gradually.

"I felt India's batting effort was quite poor. The application and patience required in Test cricket were missing. While there were some good deliveries, the batsmen didn't seem prepared to endure tough spells or play session by session," JioStar expert Anil Kumble said.

"It seemed like the aim was to chase runs quickly, which is unrealistic in a Test match where 489 runs need to be built gradually. Respecting the opposition bowlers and their spells is crucial, but India didn't show enough of that resilience. Marco Jansen bowled exceptionally well, putting India under consistent pressure. When he started bowling bouncers, which can be tricky given his height and awkward length, India appeared unprepared to either leave or take the blows. That approach is essential in Test cricket to survive challenging spells, but unfortunately, it was lacking in India's approach today," he added.

Notably, Senuran Muthusamy, who South Africa didn't play in Kolkata, was included in the squad and scored a match-defining century in the first innings of the match. While he scored 109 runs, Muthusamy joined hands with Jansen to put together a stand of 97 runs.

Kumble said South Africa excelled in selection and performance, with Muthusamy's century and his partnership with Marco Jansen taking control of the match. He noted India's top order lacked the fight and grit seen in the lower order, leaving South Africa dominant with a 325-run lead and two days remaining.

"South Africa has been spot on, even in their selection choices. Muthusamy came in as an all-rounder who bowls sparingly, but his century was a major contribution. The partnership between him and Marco Jansen effectively took the game away from India. Looking at India's performance today, Jansen bowled with clear intent and discipline, and India simply gave in. The fight and grit we saw from Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav in the lower order was missing from the top order, which was needed on a pitch like this. South Africa has dominated the match for three days and will be very satisfied with their position--leading by 325 runs with two days still left means they're in a commanding spot," Kumble added. (ANI)

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