IND vs SA | We are a team of ‘good cricketers without superstars’ , opines Lungi Ngidi
Lungi Ngidi believes that his team is not full of superstars but they have good cricketers and good cricketing brains at the end of third day’s play of the Cape Town Test. South Africa are poised on 101/2 chasing 212 in second innings and will look forward to complete the chase on penultimate day.
The final Test match of the series between India and South Africa is being played in Cape Town. South Africa are chasing a target of 212 in the second innings. Both the teams have won a match each. India were considered to be the favourites going into the series with a slightly weak batting line-up of the South African team. However, South Africa have performed very well so far and they might win the Cape Town Test too within two days to complete the chase.
Assessing his own team, Lungi Ngidi has opined that the team is without superstars but they have good cricketers and cricketing brain.
"We are not going in there with a team of superstars. We've got good cricketers and good cricketing brains, and it's always a team effort. There are going to be moments where someone is going to have to put up their hand. If someone is not taking wickets, you make sure you keep the runs down, and if it's your day, you make sure you cash in," Ngidi said at the end of day's play, reported ESPNcricinfo.
Ngidi played a crucial spell on day 3 reducing India from 152/4 to 170/7 in the second innings. He first dismissed Virat Kohli who was looking solid at the crease and then followed it up with wickets of Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur to loose shots. Ngidi pitched it up and found swing in his spell. Reflecting on the nature of the pitches in the series, Ngidi said that it has been challenging for seamers to find the right lengths on these surfaces.
"The ball has been doing something the entire Test series. There are patches on the wicket where if you hit it, it does something a little more than others. And we could see, with patience, guys could score hundreds out there, there have been two 70s already, so with the right application, there are runs in the wicket. As a bowler, if you hit the right areas, there are wickets as well," he explained.
He also added that the surface in Cape Town is evenly matched
"It's a good cricketing wicket. Everyone is in the game. It's pretty evenly matched out," he remarked.
The match is at a crucial point as South Africa are in a string position of 101/2. Keegan Petersen is playing on 48 runs nad is looking solid at the crease. The resistance from other batsmen too will decide the fate of the match. Ngidi opined that the match is perfectly in balance at the moment and a 60-run partnership tomorrow will put them in a good position.
"If we were to have a 60-run partnership upfront tomorrow morning, that puts us in a good position. If they were to take early wickets, that shifts it to them. It's perfectly poised at the moment," he opined.
India are eyeing for a maiden Test series win in South Africa to script history and will look forward to take all 10 wickets of the opposition on penultimate day.
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