New Delhi: Rishabh Pant faced criticism for his shot selection against Marco Jansen during a crucial moment for India, but the South African pacer believes a successful execution could have led to a different outcome. Pant, in a challenging situation at 102 for 4, charged down the pitch to Jansen, who delivered a short ball that climbed sharply and ended up being caught by the wicketkeeper.
When asked about Pant’s approach, Jansen remarked, “Things won’t always go your way. On another day, Rishabh Pant might have sent that ball fifty rows back over my head, and we would be having a very different conversation.” He noted that the moment hinged on execution rather than intent.
Jansen detected early in India’s first innings that there was little swing in the air and no movement off the pitch, leading him to rely on bouncers. This strategy proved effective, particularly on the third day. After scoring a notable 93 off 91 balls to assist South Africa in reaching 489, Jansen also shined with the ball, taking 6 wickets for 48 runs and helping to dismiss India for just 201. Notably, all but one of his wickets came via short-pitched deliveries, showcasing an effective alternative bowling plan on a pitch that offered limited assistance.
“The ball wasn’t nipping like it was in Kolkata, so we had to figure out another plan,” Jansen explained. He recounted that his first wicket, Dhruv Jurel, fell to a bouncer, prompting the team to continue with the tactic since it was yielding results.
While Kuldeep Yadav characterized the Barsapara pitch as a “road,” Jansen labeled it a “sporting wicket.” He stated, “It’s a good wicket to bat on. There’s decent pace and bounce. If you handle the short ball well, you’ll score runs, and if you bowl well, you’ll get wickets.”
After an initial spell, Jansen was taken out of the attack as the ball softened but returned with the second new ball, which enabled him to claim his final two wickets. “After my earlier spell, the ball felt a bit soft. It wasn’t getting up and lacked that zip. Once we took the new ball, the bounce returned and it came on nicely, so we tried to use that to our advantage,” he noted.
A key point Jansen highlighted was how closely the training pitches in Guwahati resembled the match surface—an unusual but beneficial experience. He commented, “The training facilities were very similar to the match wicket, which really helps. You get a sense of how the pitch might play and can prepare accordingly.”
