Johannesburg: India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that his team can definitely get something out from the modest first innings total of 202. He added that pacer Mohammed Siraj, who went off the field and clutched his hamstring just before stumps were called on day one, will be assessed by the medical team.
“The totals in South Africa have been a tricky one in the first innings, especially when it’s a good thing to win the toss and bat first. You want to post a good score in excess of maybe 260-270 which is a round-about score. South Africa always have batted first and has posted totals in excess of 250 and dominated the Test matches before. So, we are a bit short but I still think, with our entire bowling arsenal available tomorrow, fingers crossed, I think we can definitely make something out of this score,” said Ashwin in the virtual press conference.
Siraj had hobbled off the field when he was trying to bowl the last ball of his fourth over and couldn’t complete his action. His last ball was then bowled by Shardul Thakur. “The medical staff are assessing him overnight. I think it is very immediate, so initially what they do is they just put the ice and just see for the next hour or two. I am hoping that with the history Siraj has, he will definitely come out and give his best,” updated Ashwin.
Asked about the nature of the Wanderers pitch, Ashwin remarked, “I just felt the pitch was a little two-paced. Generally, Wanderers has the tendency to start a bit slow and then become a little quicker. It did quicken up a bit but it just feels a little different to a typical Wanderers pitch. We have to wait and see how it responds tomorrow if it doesn’t quicken up and doesn’t continue to be two-paced, will the cracks open up, that is something we can only judge at the end of the game.”
The 35-year-old was in praise of young South African all-rounder Marco Jansen, who picked 4/31 and played a crucial hand in bowling out India for 202. It was also the second four-wicket haul for Jansen after taking 4/55 in the second innings at Centurion.
“Left-armers add a lot of variety to any attack. There’s no doubt about it. He’s special, is six-eight (feet-inches), anybody that comes into the game has got a bit of height, bit of skill, he’s got a nice action, gets close to the stumps with his good side-on action.”
Ashwin signed off by saying that one has to go out and play against any kind of fast-bowling attack on any given day. “Whatever said and done, it’s not like somebody does a role in the nets and go there and sort it out. At the end of the day, all seamers have got wickets. Shami has gone nine wickets, Bumrah has got eight odd wickets, Rabada has got wickets, Marco Jansen has also got wickets. It is South Africa, you get quicks to get wickets.”
“To be over-rawed or to be over-conscious about anything is not worth it. You just go out there and play the game. I thought he bowled well, compared to what he did in the first innings. I think he (Jansen) had a bit of nerve and bowled really well in the last couple of innings he has bowled.”
–IANS