SA vs IND: Sunil Gavaskar lauds team management for backing Pujara and Rahane

While India did go on to lose the second of the three-match Test series in Johannesburg, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane getting amongst the runs certainly comes as a big positive for them. It is to be noted that the two veteran batters were struggling to score runs in the recent past.

Nevertheless, in the third innings of the second Test on Day 3, they showed a lot of intent. As a matter of fact, both of them got to their respective half-centuries as well. Thus, former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar felt that the two Test specialists repaid the trust shown to them.

While speaking to Star Sports, he stated that the team needs to continue showing faith towards their senior players as long as they are "not getting out badly." He mentioned the fact that Pujara and Rahane were backed because of their past achievements. He also felt that the team believed that the two players would come good at some point.

"The team has backed them because of the experience and what they have done in the past. They had the belief that they will come good and they did. Sometimes we can be a little bit hard on some of our senior players because you have these exciting young players waiting in the wings and we all want to see them get a bit of exposure," said Sunil Gavaskar on Star Sports.

"But as long as these senior players are playing well and not getting out badly, then I think we should show faith in them," he added. While criticizing India's fielders, he felt that the hosts were too good. He credited them for their victory as well.

Gavaskar also analysed India's performance in the second Test and opined they looked a bit flat in the field. He also lauded the efforts of South Africans and credited them for their courageous play.

"The Indian fielding could have been just that little bit sharper. But otherwise, it was the South Africans who won the game. I don't think the Indians lost it, the South Africans who won this game," he said.