'Wanted them to grovel': SA coach's remark irks Indian greats
What's the story
South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad sparked a major controversy with his recent comments during a press conference. The coach revealed that his team's strategy was to make India "grovel" by setting them a massive target of 549 runs in the ongoing 2nd Test in Guwahati. The remark was made after South Africa declared their innings on Day 4, leaving the struggling hosts with an almost impossible task of avoiding defeat and a potential series whitewash.
Backlash
Conrad's comments draw criticism from former cricketers
Conrad's comments have drawn notable reactions from Anil Kumble and Cheteshwar Pujara. Kumble, speaking on Cricket Live, said such language has no place in modern cricket. He recalled how an England skipper used the same phrase against West Indies in 1976, which resulted in a 3-0 defeat for England. Pujara echoed Kumble's sentiment but stressed that India's response should be through performance rather than emotion.
Historical reference
Aakash Chopra references historical context of Conrad's remark
Aakash Chopra also weighed in on the controversy, directly referencing the historical baggage attached to Conrad's words. "'We wanted to make India grovel' — the South African coach said this after Day 4," Chopra wrote on X. "I hope everyone in the Indian dressing room understands what it means and gets a history lesson on when it was last used, and what happened afterwards."
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Historic context
In 1976, the then-England captain Tony Greig stated that he wanted to "make the West Indies grovel." Motivated by the insult, Clive Lloyd's West Indies unleashed their beast mode. They produced a dominant and era-defining comeback for ages.
Match summary
SA dominate India in Guwahati
In the Guwahati Test, South Africa battered India by extending their second-innings lead on Day 4. After bowling India out for 201, the Proteas played 78.3 more overs to score 260/5 in the second innings. They gave India a mammoth 549-run target with a day to go. Jadeja was India's saving grace as he took four wickets. Rubbing salt on wounds, India were already two down by stumps.