Veteran Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik believes that batting would have been even more difficult on the Cape Town surface. He saw the shortest Test match ever played to achieve a result in cricket history.
In a game that lasted only 642 balls, India defeated South Africa by seven wickets. The nature of the pitch has been heavily scrutinized.
Karthik feels that if the Test had lasted longer, cracks would have opened up much more and batsmen would have been harmed as a result of bad bounce.
Dinesh Karthik about the pitch
After India’s victory, Dinesh Karthik informed Cricbuzz about the pitch: “The batting could have become extremely challenging if additional cracks come up with time.”
It might have been challenging in a way that may have resulted in batters being hit in the body. So, in a way, it’s a good thing the game finished so quickly and without anyone getting hurt.”
Dinesh Karthik praises Jasprit Bumrah’s outstanding performance.
Dinesh Karthik believes Jasprit Bumrah’s six-wicket haul shifted the tide back in India’s favor. The hosts had a bounce in their step. Proteas took six wickets for 0 runs and ended the Indian innings.
Bumrah’s five wickets on day two, however, guaranteed that the visitors were not chasing a huge score. “We required 7 wickets and the Test could’ve gone either way,” Karthik said.
But then he comes in and takes up five wickets, demonstrating that he is a guy on a mission. Some of the world’s best bowlers would be jealous of that average.
I can assure you that he is one of the most difficult bowlers the batsmen must have ever faced.”
With the sides winning both Tests convincingly, the series merited a third Test as a suitable conclusion to the ebbs and flows.