"Jansen was ahead of Bumrah, if we talk about impact....": Pathan's bold statement after India's series loss to Proteas at home

New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressed dissappointment with Men in Blue's series loss to South Africa at home, pointing out how in a battle of pacers, a young Marco Jansen outdid Indian superstar Jasprit Bumrah and laid down the roadmap for Indian Test team as the road to ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final looks difficult.

India's home dominance received their second jolt in back-to-back years, as after New Zealand's whitewash, India continued their poor run against South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) nations as it suffered a 0-2 loss to South Africa, with their loss by 408 runs in Guwahati also being their biggest Test loss in history. India's WTC final chances are now under serious jeopardy after this double whammy of a series whitewash and their biggest loss in the longest format of the game.

Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Pathan said, "It is very shameful how India have played at home against South Africa. This has been going on in the recent past. They lost poorly against New Zealand and now against South Africa. It never looked like you had the skill in both batting and bowling. Simon Harmer did the same thing that (Mitchell) Santner had done when New Zealand came."

Simon was given the 'Player of the Series' award with 17 wickets in two matches, with a nine wicket haul in Guwahati being the highlight, including a second-innings six-fer. While appreciating the bowler's brilliance, he called out India's "poor technique" against spin.

"Our technique against spinners is very poor, and we have to improve it. Harmer went ahead of our spinners. He had a brilliant variation. South Africa defeated us at home, even with players like (Kagiso) Rabada (the pacer) not being there," he added.

He also pointed out how Jansen went ahead of Bumrah with his impact in terms of batting, bowling and getting "bounce and wickets".

"Jansen was ahead of Bumrah. If we talk of impact in batting, bowling, the way he was getting bounce and getting wickets. Our fast bowlers, who we think are the best, if we think Bumrah is the best, if someone is going ahead of him in wickets and impact, we are lagging," he said.

Not only did Jansen played a match-winning knock of 93 in 91 laced with six fours and seven sixes in Proteas' first innings, he also picked up a six-wicket haul to bowl out India for 201 in reply to their 489 runs. In comparison, Bumrah took just two wickets in the match.

In two matches, Jansen picked 12 wickets at an average of 10.08, with best figures of 6/48, while on the other hand, Bumrah could pick up just eight across four innings, averaging 18.50, with a five-wicket haul in Kolkata Test being his highlight.

Pathan said that qualifying for the WTC final "looks extremely difficult" since India could have to win all their games, including away tours to Sri Lanka and New Zealand and a home series against Australia, all of which present their own challenges, mostly the spin challenge in Sri Lanka and at home. For this, Pathan said India will have to pick up batters from domestic cricket who can play spin well.

"You will have to award players who are doing well in domestic cricket and batting well against spin. If someone like Sarfaraz (Khan) is out, at least on pure cricketing reasons, it is beyond my understanding as to why such players are not in the team. You will have to bring them in. Otherwise, you will have clearly evident problems."

"You are playing five Tests against Australia at home next, against Sri Lanka away, you will get conditions where you will have to play spin well, and you need to prepare for it from now. Target players who play spin well, track their performances and give them more chances. Back them. Give them all the games and stability," he concluded. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)