Not made for this level: Fans slam Dhruv Jurel, Sai Sudharsan after failures in 2nd Test vs South Africa

Indian cricket team fans lashed out at head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management after both Dhruv Jurel and Sai Sudharsan failed to deliver during India's first innings on Day 3 of the ongoing second Test against South Africa in Guwahati on Sunday. Jurel was dismissed for an 11-ball duck, while Sudharsan could only manage 15 as India suffered a dramatic top-order collapse.

In pursuit of South Africa's huge first-innings total of 489 runs, India got off to a good start as openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal shared a 65-run stand for the first wicket. However, the openers' departure sparked a mini collapse as India were reduced to 102/4 at Tea on Day 3.

With India in trouble after losing Rahul and half-centurion Jaiswal, Jurel and Sudharsan were expected to step up and rescue the team under pressure. However, both young batters failed to make an impact. Both batters threw their wickets away by playing poor shots, adding to the frustrations of the fans.

Sudharsan played a pull shot on a short ball from South Africa spinner and ended up getting caught by Ryan Rickelton at mid-wicket. Fans were left baffled at the left-hander's lack of judgment as they slammed him for his poor shot selection. Jurel got out similarly after mistiming a short ball from Marco Jansen, as he got caught by Keshav Maharaj.

Fans were left disappointed by the two batters as they criticised them for their poor show, questioning whether they are ready for Test cricket. Some also slammed India head coach Gambhir and the team management for not backing domestic performers over the likes of Jurel and Sudharsan, who were yet to prove themselves in domestic red-ball cricket.

India are in deep trouble in the ongoing 2nd Test against South Africa in Guwahati after suffering a batting collapse in their first innings on Day 3. South Africa ran through India's top order before Tea to reduce the hosts to 102/4. The hosts were expected to recover after the break but failed to do so as skipper Rishabh Pant, Nitish Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja departed in quick succession after the break.

Pant was sent packing cheaply on 7 by Jansen, before the pacer dismissed Jadeja and Reddy to grab a four-wicket haul. Washington Sundar has since combined with Kuldeep Yadav to lead India's resistance, but the hosts will need a miraculous effort to reach the score of 290 to avoid follow-on.