Dale Steyn, the legendary fast bowler, criticized the Cape Town pitch as the second Test between India and South Africa concluded in less than five sessions. India won the Test by seven wickets, resulting in a 1-1 draw in the two-match series.
This match set a record as the shortest in Test cricket history, witnessing only 642 deliveries bowled in total. It surpassed a 92-year-old record from 1932 when Australia and South Africa completed an entire game in 656 deliveries.
With 33 wickets falling in 107 overs (an average of one wicket every 3.1 overs), the Cape Town pitch raised concerns. Many critics and fans expressed the view that the surface significantly favored the bowlers.
A former South African fast bowler joined the conversation, responding to a user on X. @Werries, one of the rare fans on X defending the pitch curator, shared a post.
“I feel for Braam Mong (the pitch curator). This is the first international pitch he has prepared at Newlands. Conditions have been scorching, so he decided to leave extra grass on to ensure that the cracks on the pitch don’t open up early. It backfired Hopefully he gets a chance to redeem himself.”
In response to this post, Steyn reassured that there wasn’t much cause for concern about the cracks, drawing comparisons to pitches in Perth and Sydney.
The ex-bowler’s comment wrote:
“Why we so scared of cracks? Think Sydney, Perth. Cracks so wide you can park a car inside them, and yet they always get to days 4 and 5! Pointless a test being over so fast you don’t even see a hint of a crack. Pitches deteriorate over the days, let it happen. Two day tests are not Test matches.”
Here’s a brief summary of the match:
South Africa won the toss and chose to bat, but a formidable performance by Mohammed Siraj (15/6) restricted them to 55 all out. In response, India scored 153, losing their final six wickets in just 11 deliveries without adding any runs.
South Africa made a strong comeback in the third innings with the bat. Aiden Markram’s bold century (106 off 103 balls) led them to a total of 176 runs. This set India a target of 79 runs for victory. The visitors successfully chased down the total in 12 overs, losing three wickets, securing a historic win as mentioned below.
“I don’t mind playing on pitches like this”- Rohit Sharma’s response after India’s win in Cape Town Test against South Africa
In a post-second Test interview, Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed his willingness to play on such pitches but added a specific condition to his viewpoint, stating:
“I don’t mind playing on pitches like this as long as everyone keeps their mouth shut in India and doesn’t complain about Indian pitches. You come here to challenge yourself. And when people come to India it is challenging as well.”
Rohit Sharma is the second Indian captain, following MS Dhoni, to secure a draw in a Test series in South Africa. He also made history as the first Asian captain to win a red-ball match in Cape Town.
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