"Test cricket not for all-rounders, demands specialists": Madan Lal's blunt take after India's series loss to SA

New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): Following India's series loss to South Africa at home, former Indian all-rounder Madan Lal expressed his concern with the team's performance, pointing out that the longest format does not need all-rounders, but rather specialists with both bat and ball and said that the team has no one to blame but themselves.
After a whitewash to New Zealand last year, which marked India's first series loss at home in 12 years, India's supremacy at home received another big jolt as a cohesive, clinical World Test Championship-holding South African unit outclassed them in every department to hand the hosts their second whitewash loss in home Test series in two back-to-back years.
Speaking to ANI, Madan said, "It is a debacle, as the team has played poor cricket. When we play a series at home, we do not expect such a performance. The Indian team cannot blame anyone, but themselves. Test cricket is not for all-rounders; it demands specialists. Having five to six batsmen, one or two all-rounders, and then a fleet of bowlers, both pacers and spinners, is what is needed. One more thing I could not understand is why the team was changed, given that they played well in England."
During the entire series, Team India displayed a lot of dependence on their all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar. While the spin bowling all-rounders did deliver their pieces of brilliance, it could not lead India to a series win at home. Nitish was once again left as a bits-and-pieces cricketer, barely getting any time with the ball in hand and once again failing to make his mark with the bat, continuing his downward trajectory after a century at Melbourne during the Boxing Day Test last year.
After a sluggish start on day one with 247/6 on the board, a maiden Test ton from all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy (109) and a hard-hitting knock from Marco Jansen (93 in 91 balls, with six fours and seven sixes) made crucial lower-order contributions to propel the Proteas to 489 in the first innings. Kuldeep Yadav (4/115) was the top bowler for India.
Jansen continued his magic with the ball, snapping figures of 6/48, as the hosts were bundled out for merely 201. A half-century from Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 in 97 balls, with six fours and a six) and Washington Sundar (48 in 92 balls, with two fours and a six) offered notable resistance. India did have a fine start with a 65-run opening stand, but slipped to 122/7, with a 72-run stand between Sundar and Kuldeep (19 in 134 balls, with three fours) pushing India to the 200-run mark.
South Africa chose to not enforce the follow-on, instead extending their advantage to past 500, with Tristan Stubbs (94 in 180 balls, with nine fours and a six) leading the way in their third innings total of 260/5 before the declaration. Once again, it was a spinner shining, with Jadeja taking a four-fer. But India were set a massive 549 runs to chase.
Simon Harmer, South Africa's Player of the Match in Kolkata, was at his very best in the second innings as well. Adding to his 3/64 in the first innings, Harmer (6/37) ran through India's batting line-up on the morning of the final day.
While Sai Sudarshan (14 in 139 balls, with a four) and Ravindra Jadeja (54 in 87 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) mounted resistance, India's fight broke in the second session as South Africa's continued strikes meant that they secured a massive 408-run win in Guwahati, bundling out India for 140 runs.
Another positive display for the visitors came from Aiden Markram, who stood tall in the field with a couple of stunning catches.
Harmer secured the 'Player of the Series' awards with 17 wickets in both Tests, including two four-fers and a six-fer. While Jansen took home the 'Player of the Match' award with an all-round performance, scoring a brilliant 93 and taking seven wickets. (ANI)