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India National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri unleashed a scathing critique on the team's batting lineup, admonishing their "very ordinary" performance against South Africa in the second Test on a pitch which he deemed devoid of challenges or 'demons'.

India were reduced to 122 for 7 in the second session. It was the 72-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Washington Sunder and Kuldeep Yadav that India posted 201.

ALSO READ: IND vs SA 2nd Test Live Scorecard

Shastri's harsh judgment came after India's dismal collapse on Day 3 of the Guwahati Test.

"No, absolutely not. It makes no sense. I don't understand the thought process there. I mean, when they look back at this series, some of the selections… still trying to figure out the thought process there. For example, you play 4 spinners in Kolkata and bowl one of the spinners for just one over," Shastri said while on commentary on Monday.

ALSO READ: IND vs SA 2nd Test: All-Round South Africa In Commanding Position Against Clueless India With 314-Run Lead On Day 3 Stumps

Sudharsan returned to number three, relegating Sundar to eighth in the batting order, a tactical move that drew a terse critique from Shastri.

"Ideally, you should have gone in with a specialist batter. Similarly, here, making Washington Sundar bat at 3 in the last Test, but you could have easily made him bat at No. 4 here, now that you have a No. 3. He [Sundar] is no No. 8. He's way better than a number 8," he added.

ALSO READ: IND vs SA 2nd Test: India Bundle Out For 201; South Africa Choose Not To Enforce Follow-On, Lead By 288 Runs (Day 3)

While head coach Gautam Gambhir copped a lot of flak for the choice of a rank turner pitch in Kolkata, no one should mind a sauce down from the fiery former batter after the poor game understanding displayed by home batters during the first session and a half of the third day.

(With PTI Inputs)

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