After the loss against South Africa in the 1st Test in Centurion, Rohit Sharma was asked to compare it with India’s World Cup loss. The Indian cricket captain did not hesitate to share his thoughts. He drew a clear line between the Test defeat and the World Cup loss. Despite the similarities in the aftermath of disappointment, Rohit emphasised the unique significance of each event in the cricketing world.
“I can’t compare the World Cup to the Test series. Obviously, winning the Test series here would be awesome and it is going to be an extraordinary feat for us. But, the World Cup is World Cup,” ANI quoted Rohit as saying. “In my books, both are separate. A loss is a loss. Losses are quite disappointing whether it is a World Cup loss or a loss like that. But, the weightage both tournaments have are quite different.”
Rohit added that the 2nd Test in Cape Town would be an opportunity to do better in the series if India managed to play as per their potential. “We can turn things around,” said the Indian skipper while refusing to compare the two losses.
Rohit, alongside Virat Kohli, returned to the field for the first time since their World Cup defeat in November. The duo faced a challenging Test against South Africa, which culminated in a crushing defeat for India by an innings and 32 runs.
South Africa outsmart India
The Proteas, led by Dean Elgar’s remarkable 185, outplayed India in all departments. This loss stood in stark contrast to the World Cup heartbreak, where Australia claimed their sixth title.
Kagiso Rabada’s five-wicket haul set the tone for the Test, leaving India struggling from the start. KL Rahul’s spirited century was overshadowed by Elgar’s performance. Day 3 saw Nandre Burger’s lethal bowling push the Indian batsmen to their limits, leading to a swift conclusion of the game on the same day.
(With ANI inputs)
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Published: 29 Dec 2023, 10:33 AM IST