Pujara and Rahane owed India 80s and 90s like Dean Elgar: Sanjay Manjrekar after visitors' defeat in 2nd India vs South Africa Test

After India's disappointing seven-wicket defeat at Wanderers, Sanjay Manjrekar has called for a relook at Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane's half-centuries in the third innings of the Test. Manjrekar said both batters "owed" India more than just 50s and should have played a knock similar to Dean Elgar's 96 on Thursday.

Pujara and Rahane, after struggling for a big score for months, scored 53(86) and 58(78) to help India stave off a collapse. But both were dismissed in quick succession by Kagiso Rabada, who bowled one of the best spells of the series. The rest of the batting lineup couldn't recover well from it and was dismissed for 266.

Manjrekar, speaking to ESPNcricinfo after the match, said while those twin knocks were enough for Pujara and Rahane to save their place in the team, they should have used their experience to convert these into match-winning scores.

Manjrekar argued:

"You have to look at the innings of Pujara and Rahane slightly differently because these are guys who owed runs and they got fifties which is great, back in form, good enough to keep places in the side. But guys with that kind of experience, just like Dean Elgar, could they not have gone on to get a bigger score? An 80 or a 90 or a 100 because that's what they owed the Indian team and then the target would have been beyond the reach of the South Africans."

Manjrekar, however, also admitted that Elgar and other South African batters who helped chase the 240-run target in just above 60 overs, had it easier because the pitch eased out due to moisture and rain. Manjrekar explained:

"That's one way to look at it but yes the pitch played a little better in the sense that because of the rain, every time the ball didn't kick, it was coming onto the bat nicely and going off the bat nicely as well. So batting became a little easier because of the rain."

India was also bogged down by an injury to Mohammed Siraj, who strained his hamstring earlier in the day and leaked runs at an economy rate of 6.2. Other than that, Elgar, alongside Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma, displayed grit and put up a batting masterclass against a top-quality bowling attack.

"First reaction has to be a well done to South Africa" - Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar also lauded the Proteas' batting effort, expressing hope that this win will be a positive catalyst for the rise of South African batting. He said:

"Considering the batting lineup of South Africa batting last in this Test match, you would have thought that India should have won in the last innings because of the quality and experience they have in their bowling attack. But I think the first reaction has to be a well done to South Africa, well done to South African batters."

The former cricketer added:

"Because these are the guys, when you look at their batting record, last time I looked Dean Elgar was with the highest batting average of 39, some are averaging 30, some are finding their feet at the Test level. And for them to chase down this kind of a target... I just hope it gives them the optimism to stand behind the young talent they are looking to back and let's just hope we see the rise of South African batting after this kind of performance."

The series is now piquantly poised at 1-1, with the decider slated to begin on January 11 in Johannesburg.