Ravi Shastri slams Indian batters for Guwahati collapse: 'India won't be one but happy'

 

Former India coach Ravi Shastri slammed the Indian batters for the team's collapse during the first innings of the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. In their reply of 489 against the Proteas, India were folded out for 201 despite a late rearguard from Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav for a 72-run stand for the eighth wicket. 

Shastri came down hard on the Indian batters after the collapse. "This is still a good surface. This is not a pitch to be 142 for 7. Ordinary batting. India won’t be one bit happy. You have to put your hands up and say that’s very ordinary batting," Shastri said during Day 3.

Shastri's comments came after Shaun Pollock said that the Indian batters were soft and gave their wickets on balls that were not that good. The former coach also criticised the Indian team's approach of changing players' positions quickly, with particular reference to Washington Sundar's varied positions in the recent Tests.

"No, absolutely not. It makes no sense. I don't understand the thought process there. I mean, when they look back at this series, some of the selections… still trying to figure out the thought process there. For example, you play 4 spinners in Kolkata and bowl one of the spinners for just one over. Ideally, you should have gone in with a specialist batter. Similarly, here, making Washington Sundar bat at 3 in the last Test, but you could have easily made him bat at No. 4 here, now that you have a No. 3. He [Sundar] is no No. 8. He's way better than a number 8," Shastri said.

Meanwhile, India suffered a major collapse in the first innings. From being at 95/1 at one stage, they were reduced to 122/7 before a fightback from Sundar and Kuldeep. However, when Sundar departed, the hosts lost their remaining two wickets for seven runs to get bowled out for 201.