Restricting Team India to 180-odd is really good, believes Andile Phehlukwayo
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Andile Phehlukwayo has expressed his happiness over wrapping up the Indian cricket team on a low score in their first innings as he stated that restricting them to 180-odd is really good. He has praised his team-mate Vernon Philander saying that he gets goosebumps when watching him bowl.
South African bowlers continued their good run of form in the series as they wrapped up India's first innings in the third and last Test of the series in Johannesburg in just 187 runs. For India, it was only Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara who made half-centuries and later Bhuvnehwar Kumar played a 30-run knock to help the team reach a respectable total. During India’s innings, the home side made some errors while fielding as they dropped Indian skipper’s catch twice before dismissing Ajinkya Rahane off a no-ball. Before stumps on Day 1, South Africa lost one wicket in the form of Aiden Markram but Phehlukwayo believes that the host still have an upper-hand in the match.
"Our efforts on the field were really good bar a few mistakes here and there. Restricting them to 180-odd is really good. The guys put the ball in the right areas and they were rewarded," he said as quoted by Cricbuzz.
"We tried to bowl a bit fuller. A few times we got it wrong - that happens as a bowler. If you bowl a touch fuller, you will be rewarded. There is movement and bounce off a length, so it is a really good wicket to bowl on."
The Indian batsmen seemed to be struggling on the green top at the Wanderers and South African bowlers used their pace to create more trouble for their opponents. But it was not easy for the bowlers to control the moving ball considering the overnight rain which created enough moisture and cloud was there in the morning. Despite these conditions, Philander again showed his class with the ball as in the opening spell of eight overs he managed seven runs and KL Rahul’s wicket. In the first innings, he bowled 19 overs claiming two wickets for 31.
Phehlukwayo, playing the fourth match of his career and first in the series against India, also bagged two wickets as he got a big scalp of Pujara and later he dismissed Hardik Pandya. The 21-year-old claimed that playing along with Philander is special for him.
"Vernon showed his class again. Being on the field with him was unbelievable. When I watch him bowl I get goosebumps at times, thinking about how consistent he can be on a length. I really look up to the type of bowler like that," he added.
"As the fifth seamer, my job was to try and hit a length. If there's nibble on the wicket, try and expose that. Just try to hit the top of off stump, with a few bouncers and try getting a reward from that. I was trying to restrict the runs, get as many dot balls as I can and obviously if the batsmen make a mistake or anything happens off
