After being on the receiving end of a 72-run defeat in the opening Test against South Africa, India pacer Jasprit Bumrah is staying positive as we head towards the second Test at Centurion starting on Saturday.
“Confidence is not dented after one match. If it happens, then you don’t deserve to play. Learn from the mistake you made and go forward. There is not a single cricketer who has not made a mistake,” the youngster told reporters after India’s practice session on Thursday.
Bumrah, who made his Test debut for the country in the loss at Newlands, was a touch expensive in the first innings before coming back strongly in the second to pick up three wickets in South Africa’s collapse on day four
He picked up the wicket of AB De Villiers in the first innings to register his maiden Test scalp but Bumrah was not willing to term it as a dream debut.
“It was not a dream debut. I was happy with whatever I learnt from that match. As a bowler you look to get the first wicket early and I got AB de Villiers,” he said.
Bumrah bowled AB De Villiers for his first Test wicket.
“It was a happy moment, and from there on, we took a lot more wickets. As a bowler, my motto is not to get too excited and not to get too down after every match. I want to take confidence in to the next match,” Bumrah added.
Playing in his first overseas Test tour, the Mumbai-born man explained that his experience in the first Test had been a big learning curve.
“It’s always challenging whenever you come to a new country, the wickets are different, the weather is different. You get a fair idea of the lines and lengths to bowl. You need to adapt. I never go by perceptions,” he stated.
“In the first innings we thought we bowled a little fuller than the normal here because in India we have to pitch fuller to get the swing and to get the batsmen on to the front foot. Over here, there is bounce, so there is a little bit of difference in length.
“We analysed that, adapted in the second innings and were able to create pressure,” he explained.
South Africa’s Aiden Markram expects more runs at Centurion.
Proteas batsman Aiden Markram meanwhile said that runs will be up for grabs at the Centurion wicket if history was anything to go by.
“Usually it’s a good batting wicket here, there have been some big scores. But how they have prepared it this time I’m not too sure. I’m pretty sure they are going to prepare it similar to last week, maybe not as extreme,” he said on the sidelines of South Africa’s net session.
Markram was wary of India’s quality going into the second Test and expects a big response from the No1 ranked side in the world.
“There’s a reason why they are the No. 1 team in the world — they have quality players in all departments. They tick all the boxes and they have come here to compete, which is great,” he remarked.
South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0 as we head into the second Test at the SuperSport Park at Centurion starting on Sunday.
