All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja proposed that India would benefit from a “win-win situation” if the Guwahati Test were saved. It should be mentioned that Jadeja’s first language is not English, which is why he used the phrase.
With one day left in their two-Test series against South Africa, India is behind 1-0 and can only pray that the scoreline stays at 1-0. India is 27 for 2 as of the fifth day in Guwahati. They are attempting to reach the nearly unachievable goal of 549.
India will suffer their second series defeat in their last three home series against South Africa. They ended a remarkable record of 17 consecutive home series victories over a 12-year period last year when they suffered an extraordinary 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand.
“We will have to bat well, take it session by session,” Jadeja stated. “The bowlers will undoubtedly feel pressured to bowl us out if we fail to claim a wicket in the opening session. If we can play the entire day tomorrow, that will be the win-win scenario for us. It will be just as beneficial to us as a winning scenario.”
India’s 2019 home series versus South Africa, which they won 3-0, has been completely reversed by this series. Jadeja said that aside from winning tosses, South Africa hadn’t changed all that much between that tour and this one. In 2019, India won all three tosses; this time, South Africa has won two.
“I don’t find any difference from what we played against them in 2019,” Jadeja stated.
“I believe their squads are nearly identical. I think timing is everything in cricket. Winning the toss is the first step. We would have been in a better position right now if we had won the toss on this wicket. However, that is an inherent aspect of the game. Now, it’s about day five, which is what comes next. We must trust our defence and play good cricket. That’s the secret. As I mentioned, it’s a win-win scenario for us if we play out day five.
Jadeja played a crucial role in India’s 12-year winning streak in home Test series. Jadeja responded that it was just a task he and his teammates had to embrace when asked how hard it has been to deal with India’s continuous stretch of poor results at home.
“You see, it’s not hard. “The situation is always important in cricket,” he remarked. “Any batsman can come and play freely if you are ahead by 312–315 runs in the match. They are not considering bounce, spin, or the condition of the wicket. However, knowing that you have a 550-run objective and that the ball is spinning and bouncing makes it more difficult to defend when you are 300 runs down.
“We’ve also been in winning circumstances. For example, we did not lose a series at home for 12 years, from 2012 to 2024. We have handled these circumstances effectively during that time. However, the timing allowed us to win numerous tosses and score a lot of runs in the first inning. We have an innings advantage over the adversary. It has occurred numerous times.
“You get more new experiences the more cricket you play. Therefore, it is a challenge that the team and I, as cricket players, accept. We won’t dispute it or question why we must play in this circumstance. As players, we must accept the good and move on if it has arrived. We will have an optimistic outlook, which will benefit the team. Everyone will strive to give it their all.
“The batter who bats tomorrow will try to give it their all. However, occasionally, even if you don’t succeed, you may still learn from the experience, recognise your faults, and figure out how to do better in similar circumstances in the future.”
With the loss of several key players over the past year or so, India has been in transition. Jadeja believed that the team’s young players would learn and develop if they went through a challenging period like this.
“Look, I believe that this is a learning time for the younger members of the team. They have just begun their career. It’s difficult to play international cricket in any format. The format you play is always a little bit difficult. Therefore, when a situation like this occurs in India and you have three or four young players on the team, it appears as though the entire team is inexperienced and young. And it is emphasised.
However, people don’t consider it a huge thing when India wins at home. In either case, you must win. In India, many believe that winning a series is not a huge issue. However, it becomes a huge concern if you lose a series in India. However, even the opposing squad is representing their nation when they come here to play.
“There’s always a surprise, which is the beauty of cricket. With each passing year, something new occurs. Therefore, it’s a learning phase for a child. They will evolve as players and improve India’s future if they manage this circumstance effectively.”
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