Against South Africa in the third and final Test in Cape Town, Team India made two changes to the playing XI. The captain Virat Kohli replaced Hanuma Vihari, while senior pacer Umesh Yadav took his place in the place of Mohammed Siraj, who missed the match due to a hamstring injury.

Apart from Ishant Sharma, all pace bowlers except Umesh participated. Shaun Pollock, a former Proteas captain, says there should be open communication between the team management and Ishant about his future in the whites. Ishant was a first-team regular in the longer format of the game until a few months ago. “Communication is crucial. It’s important to respect this man for what he’s accomplished,” Pollock stated in a recent interview. ”It’s important you’re honest with him and you should tell him the reason. In that case, he has to accept the reasons why he should not have left-handers in the team, ” he added.

”I haven’t played that much cricket but have given some really good service, so it’s not easy. Those two pitches must have made him desperate for an opportunity, particularly in South Africa where the conditions are good. “I’m sure I could make an impact if I just had a game here. It is important that we communicate well with him. He deserves that, and then he has to assess where he stands,” concluded Pollock.