Cricket
Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian pace spearhead penned an emotional note on his official Instagram handle to share his feelings ahead of the India-South Africa Test series decider in Cape Town.
Updated : Jan 03, 2024, 09:06 AM IST
Cape Town, renowned as one of the most challenging venues for visiting teams, particularly in Test matches, is set to host the Indian side for the 7th time in the longest format. Over the past two decades, only Australia (2) and England (1) have managed to breach the fortress at Newlands. As Team India prepares for their encounter on January 3 in the New Year's Test, they aspire to join the exclusive list of teams victorious at this formidable venue.
In the preceding six matches at Newlands, India has faced challenges, losing four and drawing two. Whenever Cape Town is discussed, the name of Jasprit Bumrah instantly surfaces. Bumrah, an indispensable asset across formats, made his Test debut six years ago at this very venue in 2018, concluding with four wickets. Returning in 2022, despite India's defeat, he showcased an impressive five-wicket haul. The Indian team and its fans are optimistic about a similar performance, given the circumstances they currently find themselves in.
Anticipating the second and final Test of the series, Bumrah shared a heartfelt video with the caption, "Back at Newlands, 5 years after my Test debut here. A lot of memories, a lot of gratitude." Suryakumar Yadav, Bumrah's teammate in both the Indian and Mumbai Indians squads, expressed confidence in a potential five-wicket haul in the upcoming Test.
India is teetering on the brink of another series defeat in South Africa, a destination once heralded as the final frontier. The performance in the first Test revealed glimpses of the longstanding challenges faced by Indian teams in this territory. Bumrah and his compatriots hold the key to the visitors' chances of leveling the series.
Beyond Bumrah, the bowling attack appeared lackluster in Centurion. However, as they approach the critical match in Cape Town, there is no room for subpar performances. The two-time finalists are determined to deliver a performance that they can take pride in.