Twitter Reactions: Play called off due to ‘dangerous’ Johannesburg pitch

After sweeping up the hosts on Day 2, courtesy a five-er from Jasprit Bumrah, the Virat Kohli-led side looked adamant to establish their dominion. The Men in Blue restricted the Proteas to 194 in their reply to India’s 187. But the day which brimmed with excitement and anticipation highlighted one thing. The Wanderers pitch was producing variable bounce that seemed ‘dangerous’ as wickets tumble on the second day. And evidently, it did as batsmen were struck on the fingers and body as the teams battled for supremacy.

Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock and ex-India skipper Sunil Gavaskar even criticised the pitch during a pitch report at tea for SuperSport television. And this issue continued on Day 3 as well. After Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli took India further ahead amidst increasing concern about the condition of the pitch, the severity magnified when the Proteas took the field to bat.

The duo of Vijay and Kohli showed resolve in difficult conditions to add 43 runs for the fourth wicket before Vijay was bowled by Kagiso Rabada with the last ball before lunch. Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar batted sensibly after Kohli’s dismissal and took India’s to 240.

Elgar hit several times before umpires call of play

Chasing 241 for victory, the host lost an early wicket in Aiden Markram. And soon enough, the pitch started acting dubiously as Elgar fell to the ground after getting hit off a delivery in the sixth over. No sooner did that happen, Elgar needed attention from the physio once again, this time after he suffered a nasty hit on his helmet grill, with the ball somehow not making its way to the batsman’s face.

Again in the ninth over, Elgar cops a blow on his left shoulder after the ball kicks up higher than usual and deviates a lot more. Just one delivery late on the third one, it happens again. Elgar gets smacked on his helmet grille off a short delivery. Startled with that bounce, he needed medical attention immediately. The umpires have a chat among themselves, then with match referee Andy Pycroft, before calling the players off the field.

The last time play was called off due to an unplayable pitch in the whites was in Jamaica, 1998 during a Test between West Indies and England.

So what’s the difference of this pitch than earlier today? Sunny G is right. If the umpires were going to call it off, then it should have been done earlier…. but India battled through it. Now SA should have to do the same.. sadly Elgar didn’t play it well.

— Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) January 26, 2018

This pitch is ridic #SAvIND

— Isa Guha (@isaguha) January 26, 2018

Amazing skills from Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar , truly Dabangg. The resolve and determination will make every cricket lover proud, even though SA have been sloppy

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 26, 2018

If the players are to be called off now due to the pitch being dangerous,why did the Indian batting get to bat all day on it & face the heat? #SAvIND

— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) January 26, 2018

Ok… now I am hiding behind the chair watching this match. If it’s too dangerous to play… then India should win the game.. the pitch is the responsibility of the Home Team!

— Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) January 26, 2018

The #Wanderers pitch belongs to South African management. If their team walks off now, it would be more insulting for them than even a Test defeat. If the Indian lower order could grit it out, so can South Africa #IndvSA

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) January 26, 2018

For this match to be called off, there will need to be proof of deterioration beyond what was acceptable when India were batting. I have little doubt that play will resume with no repairs to the pitch.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 26, 2018

I know they are 2-0 down & have made a few mistakes in this series but hats off to Virat & his boys that they want to continue playing on this pitch in the hope of making it 2-1????

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) January 26, 2018

And not only with his batting @imVkohli has also won hearts by not questioning the pitch or conditions.
This is brilliant from him.

— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) January 26, 2018

In any case, this is a very poor pitch.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 26, 2018

Brilliant from Michael Holding: “The umpires keep looking at the pitch. Perhaps they think the pitch will be scared of them…” Before Sony cut to ads

— Mohammad Isam (@Isam84) January 26, 2018

Just returned from our concert in Ahmedabad to learn that the Ind vs SA test has been called off..!
Didn’t India bat twice on this pitch with SA pacers peppering them with short deliveries? .. And suddenly now it’s dangerous..???? #saywhat

— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) January 26, 2018

On a treacherous pitch,@imVkohli has batted like a dada

— Cricketwallah Indian (@cricketwallah) January 26, 2018

Mandela spent 27 years in prison to get SA Freedom , I am sure SA can stay on this pitch for just a day as it is the #FreedomSeries

— Vikram Sathaye (@vikramsathaye) January 26, 2018