Legendary Sunil Gavaskar has predicted that under pressure Indian batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane might just have only one more innings to save their Test careers.
Pujara and Rahane got out off consecutive deliveries from South Africa's pacer Duanne Olivier on Day 1 of the second Test in Johannesburg on Monday.
"After those two dismissals one can say that they probably have just the next innings, both Pujara and Rahane, to save their Test careers," said Gavaskar during the commentary.
Will Kohli & Shreyas replace this duo for 3rd test?
Pujara last 2 years 19 tests(35 innings) has average of 25.52. Overall batting average has dropped from 50 to 44
Rahane last 2 years 18 tests(32 innings) has average of 24.22. Overall batting average has dropped from 44 to 39. pic.twitter.com/QCW7yZzQGJ
— Pradeep John (Tamil Nadu Weatherman) (@praddy06) January 3, 2022
Gavaskar said that there have been questions raised about their place in the playing XI after their repeated failures.
"There have been questions asked about their place in the team and now with these two dismissals, they have just one innings left. If there is another innings and the way India is going, it looks like there will be another for them to score something and maybe keep their place in the team," the former India captain said.
Olivier celebrated his comeback in international cricket after dismissing Pujara. And then made it double with Rahane's wicket. Pujara scored three runs off 33 balls while Rahane was out for a duck.
Notably, Pujara has not scored a Test century since January 2019, while Rahane has been inconsistent and poor over the past year.
Talking about the match, rookie bowler Marco Jansen took four wickets as South Africa bowled India out for 202 in their first innings on the opening day of the second Test at the Wanderers on Monday.
Innings Break!
That's the end of #TeamIndia's innings as they are all out for 202 (KL Rahul 50, Ashwin 46).
Scorecard - https://t.co/qcQcovZ41s #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/0Zix4VrBAp
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 3, 2022
The 21-year-old Jansen, playing in only his second test, returned impressive figures of 4-31 in 17 overs after India had won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that they expected to offer rewards for the batsmen. India had already suffered a blow before the start when captain Virat Kohli pulled out of the test with an upper back strain, but stand-in skipper KL Rahul made 50 as he attempted to lead from the front.
Ravichandran Ashwin added a potentially valuable 46 but overall it proved a disappointing day for the batsmen after their dominant performance in the first test in Pretoria last week, which India won by 113 runs. Duanne Olivier, returning to the test arena for the first time in almost three years, and Kagiso Rabada finished with identical figures of 3-64.
