Schoolboy errors: Ravi Shastri on India’s sloppy run-outs against South Africa

India coach Ravi Shasrti on Monday said the team will have to rectify the “schoolboy errors” that led to three run-outs in the lost second Test against South Africa, insisting that conditions are hard enough without such mistakes adding to the misery.

India lost the first two Tests in Cape Town and Centurion to be 0-2 down in the three-match series, which will conclude with the match starting January 24 in Johannesburg.

“It hurts a lot. As it is the conditions are very tough, and on top of that, if someone gets run out then you feel bad and there is no doubt of that. You hope that those mistakes don’t happen again because at times they are schoolboy errors,” Shastri said after Monday’s practice, referring to the run-outs in Centurion.

The team’s batsmen, outplayed by South Africa’s menacing pace battery so far, added to their problems with poor shot selection and sloppy running between the wickets. The run-outs of Hardik Pandya and Cheteshwar Pujara in the Centurion Test, particularly stood out.

While Pandya was guilty of not dragging his bat in, Pujara pushed for a very risky third single, which was avoidable. “They have to be rectified. In tough conditions like …read more