Hashim Amla is a worried man. He brought a team to India that had not lost a single away series (out of 16) in the last nine years. He brought a team that was ranked the best in the world. If any team currently could beat India in their own backyard, it was this South African team, they said.
But three Tests into the four-match series, Amla finds himself at the helm of a team that has been brutalised 2-0 – with one Test washed out. After conceding the Nagpur Test inside three days, Amla spoke about the series so far as the toughest few days of his career.
“Probably three of the toughest days I have experienced in my Test career. The surface was probably the toughest I have had as well, and the cricket itself was really difficult,” he said. “So credit to India, they bowled well and unfortunately we ended up on the wrong side of this game.”
What hurt the Proteas the most was getting bundled out for 79 in the first innings after India posted 215 on the board. “It was disappointing, in the first innings, not to get a score closer to theirs,” he said. “I would think 200 would have been a more apt [target] to chase.
“If I look at their first innings, they were about 30 runs too much. I’ll be very honest with you, I don’t think it was a 220 first innings wicket and neither was it a 170 [second innings wicket]. If our bowling was better, we could have got India out for 140 and that probably would have changed the complexion of the game.”
Amla came to the defence of his batsmen, who have received widespread criticism for not being able to counter the Indian spinners.
“There hasn’t been a hundred in the series yet; just a handful of fifties, in both teams. So it would be harsh to say that this South African team has struggled to score runs. I think if you look at the Indian team, although they are on the winning side, it’s been tough for their batters as well, and given the quality of spinners the Indians do have, obviously it’s going to be a lot tougher for us in these conditions,” he said
There was also a common take that on a wicket that offered so much assistance to the spinners, Amla underused his main spinner, Imran Tahir. In both of India’s innings, Tahir was used as the fifth bowler, after the part-time spinners like Dean Elgar and JP Duminy. Amla said that decision was due to Tahir’s tendency to leak runs and not because he lacked faith in him.
“I think Imran does have the tendency of picking up wickets, but at the same time leaking up runs; that’s the type of bowler he is,” Amla said. “I found it difficult to use him in the first innings, because he was leaking up runs here and there, and I certainly felt Simon (Harmer) was somebody who could get us a wicket as well as keep it tight.
“When you are 140-odd behind, you have to find the balance. Imran picked up five wickets and I know it’s easy to say why didn’t you bring him on. If I knew he would pick up five wickets, I would have opened the bowling with him.
“You’ve also got to look at some of the dismissals. Obviously the Indians were looking to score and there were a few wide ones. As a captain I’ve got to measure up how many wicket balls there are going to be. So in hindsight, I don’t have any regrets, because at the time I had a clear idea of what I needed from the team.”
“But it is very disappointing to lose a series, away from home, after nine years, and to be part of it, and I hope it doesn’t happen again for us,” he added.
