Inquisition begins after series loss, India players confined to hotel

JOHANNESBURG: Staying within their hotel premises an afternoon after the belief of the second one Test in Centurion, the Indian cricket team - shattered through the series defeat right here in South Africa - spent time either locked in intense team meetings or one-on-ones with skipper Virat Kohli for the better part of Thursday.

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'Intent' - a term Kohli had used in his presser submit the first Test defeat at the Newlands, remained the buzzword.

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The after-effect of this series loss is going to be a harsh one, and the actuals will most effective begin to urge once the team comes out of its self-inflicted confinement. For one, Ajinkya Rahane, considered one of India's most successful out of the country batsmen in the present ranks, would possibly want to make a comeback. Thanks to the advent of Twenty20, 'percentage cricket' too is a term that's lost on these kind of young males. The term that very best describes the art of playing effective strokes but in flip minimising dangers and maximising the time spent at the crease.

Simply put, each and every ball is not supposed to be performed. Every shot is not supposed to be scored off. Every score need not be transformed from a unmarried to double. The art of leaving is as sanctimonious in Test fit cricket as the Test fit itself. Thursday was once an afternoon spent making a Twenty20 technology perceive this higher.

Four batsmen, particularly, clearly dedicated extra blunders than most in a sport that India conceded meekly. These four invite themselves for critical questioning...

VIJAY: 'CONCERTED' EFFORT?

Murali Vijay edging Keshav Maharaj to the Quinton de Kock is a living proof. Vijay clearly appeared like he had a train to catch that afternoon in the first innings, when for just about three overs, he kept needling Maharaj's deliveries outdoor the offstump. The Chennai batsman finally controlled to edge one at the back of the wicket. Close to 25-odd overs were left for stumps and extra necessary than taking a look to score off each and every ball, he first had to stay round.

RAHUL: NUMB IN THE FEET

The Bengaluru boy hasn't found his ft yet in South Africa. There was once no ft motion when he chipped one again to Morne Morkel in the first innings. There was once no ft second once more when he performed a suicidal cut to backward point. He too was once in a rush like his opening partner.

PUJARA: SPRINTER'S DAY OUT

The first ball Pujara performed at Centurion - tapping it to mid-on - he sought after a run. For someone who likes spending 'mild years' at the crease, the urge to get off the mark with the first actual supply, in flip risking an excessively spectacular South African fielding unit didn't make any sense. Once wasn't sufficient. Pujara determined to take a possibility without any other than AB de Villiers in the second one innings, looking to flip a double into a triple which was once neither the desire of that over, nor the hour and nor the consultation. He was once again in the dressing room with an undesirable report.

ROHIT: WRONG PLACE, WRONG LINE

The Mumbai batsman is in the Test squad at the expense of another Mumbai batsman whose out of the country batting reasonable is one that most envy. As if the conundrum surrounding his variety wasn't already the debate of town, Rohit Sharma did the gravest of errors that a sub-continent batsman can do playing out of the country - he performed the fallacious line to Kagiso Rabada, the world's top-ranked bowler. The batsman clearly didn't do himself any favours.