After the impressive performance by the batsmen, the Indian bowlers stole the show on Day 3 of the ongoing Ranchi Test match as they shot down South Africa by 162. Indian captain Virat Kohli enforced the follow on and in the process, became the skipper to have asked the opposition to follow on for the 8th time – which is the most by an Indian captain in Test history. He overtook Mohammad Azharuddin, who took this decision on seven occasions.
It was also the first time India enforced the follow-on twice in a home series since 1993/94 against Sri Lanka.
Enforcing follow-on most times among Indian captains
8 V Kohli *
7 M Azharuddin
5 MS Dhoni
4 S Ganguly
This is how India have fared when Kohli has faced the proposition of enforcing follow on:
Enforced: Mat 8*; Won 5; Draw 2
Not enforced: Mat 7; Won 7
Umesh Yadav was the pick of the bowlers as he picked up three wickets. He was ably supported by Ravindra Jadeja and Shahbaz Nadeem who returned with 2 wickets each.
On Day 2, Rohit Sharma was the star with the bat as he peeled off a maiden double century in Tests. “There’s nothing in particular that I’ve done in terms of technique,” Rohit said at the end of the day’s play.
“But of course I know the basics of the game – what you need to do as an opener in whichever format you bat. Because the new ball does something, whatever conditions you play. We saw probably in Ranchi and Pune, it did quite a bit than overseas conditions as well – for example Australia or something else. So new ball wherever you play, you have to have some sort of understanding about your game. Understanding the basics of the game, rather. Which ball you have to play at, which ball you have to leave. Certain aspects of the game, you have to be mindful of. I was just trying to be mindful of that,” he further added.
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