Through the second Test’s penultimate day, two themes dominated the game — India delaying taking the new ball and whether the visiting batsmen can save the game.
At the post-play press conference, India’s fielding coach Trevor Penney stressed his faith in M.S. Dhoni’s men while Robin Peterson felt the game was skewed in favour of the host.
Excerpts
New-ball after 146 overs?
Penney: We just felt that there were more variables with the old ball, there was a bit of reverse swing as well.
Peterson: Maybe you should ask M.S. that, but I guess they wanted the ball to stay soft. I mean hitting the new ball would have been easier.
Day five possibilities
Penney: We have had a good two weeks and seeing the way we have played over the year, I believe we can bat. The first session is crucial and we need to see off their seamers.
Peterson: If you look at the stats, 10 wickets tend to fall on the last day at Durban. We have already got two.
Kallis’s century
Penney: Kallis blunted our attack, he defended the good balls and scored off the loose deliveries.
Peterson: I guess he was a lot more nervous in the nineties. He set us up with that hundred. I am not sure if he can bowl as he has had a niggle. I guess we will carry Jacques.
Faf du Plessis’s catch
Penney: It was stunning, it was like as if he was shot. Yes, Shikhar (Dhawan) was down, the light was fading and in a few overs we would have walked off but this happened.
Peterson: I have seen him do this in training, but in a match it looks good on live TV.
