Internet Desk: South African pacer Kagiso Rabada looking for a whitewash against India five days before the final test in johannesburg. The hosts are leading 2-0 against India and clinched the series and Rabada produced a match- winning spell at the Newlands.
“Obviously we know how to play fast bowling and we’ve got respect for their attack. Every game you go into, you want to win. So obviously we want to get a whitewash against India.” Rabada said.
“I think they do rely on Captain Virat Kohli. But it is just like we rely on a couple of players too. I’m not saying India don’t have any quality players, they do. But it’s just a fact – Kohli scores most of their runs.” Rabada said.
“It is really enjoyable bowling to the likes of him. He was named ICC Player of the Year (sic), so it’s quite cool to go up against the best.” When asked about India’s lack of preparation going into the series, he said,.
“We’ve got no concern with their preparation. We’re concerned with how we want to get them out and how we want to win against them. I’m not going to diagnose their problems.” The young pacer added.
“The fast bowlers are excited to bowl at the Wanderers. We always are as it has pace, bounce and swing. Bumrah is a very good bowler, he’s already opening the bowling now. He’s done very well with the one-day stuff and now he’s doing very well in the Test matches too.Mohammed Shami is very experienced and got some pace. Umesh Yadav, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who caused a lot of trouble in Cape Town, they’ve got good fast bowlers.” Later he added. South Africa will start their practice from Monday.
“It’s nice to see youngsters step up like Lungi Ngidi, he stepped up. Aiden Markram stepped up in the first innings. It was also nice to see Hashim Amla get some runs, AB de Villiers came in and played a very crucial knock in the second innings.
“He’s just got the ability to speed the game up and not get out at the same time. So he played very well, I thought that was a very key moment. And also the way Dean Elgar hung with him.”
He said South Africa wanted to bat as long as possible in the second innings at Centurion. “In the second innings, we just wanted to bat time, see how long we could go because we knew the pitch was only getting harder to bat on. There was a bit of variable bounce. The wicket was squatting a bit and some balls were bouncing, a bit more misbehaving.
“We knew reverse swing was going to be a tactic, and the short ball as well, because of the nature of the wicket. All in all, I thought our bowlers did a great job in containing the runs and bowling wicket-taking deliveries,” he added.
Rabada highlighted that AB de Villiers’ free-scoring knocks in Cape Town and Centurion had set up the wins for South Africa.
“AB is a genius at his craft. It’s a fact. He stays in on difficult wickets, but he’s striking at 70 or 80 – he makes it look easy. He’s got a real understanding of the game, which a lot
of people don’t get that easily. It looks very simple to him. He’s a very crucial player in our team,” said Rabada.
He also talked about Lungi Ngidi, someone who he has played with since the Under-19 days. The latter took 6-39 in India’s second innings collapse at Supersport Park.
“Lungi and I, we played together in the Under-19. We even toured India I remember, but he got injured unfortunately and his trip was cut short. But we played together at school and
we have a history. So it’s just nice to play with your friend, from when you were a teenager.
“Hopefully long may it continue, and we can form a great partnership. I know he has enjoyed bowling with the likes of Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander as well.”