India captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted his side fell short in execution with both bat and ball in their 51-run defeat to South Africa in the second T20I, adding that it’s a part of their learning process and that they would move forward with lessons from here to the third game.
At the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, India didn’t have the greatest times with the ball and bat – conceding 213/4, including 15 wides. In reply, barring Tilak Varma’s 62, none of the batters stood up to scoreboard pressure and were bowled out for 162.
“I mean, we bowled first, and there was not enough we could do. We could have just come back nicely because we bowled first, and then later on, they realised how the lengths are important on this wicket. But it's a learning process.
Just learn and move forward,” said Suryakumar in the post-match presentation ceremony. He noted that the dew played a role but said India lacked a backup plan when their primary plans failed. “A little bit of dew as well, and also if it wasn't working, we should have had a second plan, but we didn't go to that.
But it's okay. As I said, it's a learning process. We learned how they bowled in the second innings. We learned from that, and then we try to execute in the next game.” On the batting front, Suryakumar conceded that the top order, including himself, had not done their job well.
“I think myself, Shubman, we could have given a good start because we can't rely on Abhishek all the time. The way he's been batting, he might have an off day. Shubman and I, Shubman and a few other batters should have taken it.”
“I think it would have been a smart chase. But then it's okay, Shubman got out on the first ball. But I should have taken that responsibility, batted a little deeper. But, as I said, we learn, we try and do better in the next game to come.”
Explaining Axar Patel’s puzzling promotion to number three, Suryakumar said the team had backed his good batting form to pay off. “We just thought in the last game, we had seen Axar bat really well in the longer format, and we wanted him to bat back the same way today as well. But unfortunately, (it didn’t work) he did bat well. But we will see what's up for us going on in the next game.”