We could have applied ourselves better, says Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla takes a break on Day 2 of the 1^st Test match against India

It was a major setback for the South African Test Captain Hashim Amla as his team bowed out of the 1^st Test, twice scoring less than 200. Hashim Amla explained that false decision making and wrong execution were the reasons for his first defeat as the test skipper, reports ESPNCricinfo.

According to him, they should have bowled much better and scored more runs on the slow surface, despite the nature of the track. Proteas lost the match by 108 runs.

"We could have applied ourselves better," Amla said. "There were decisions we made while we were batting that were not the right decisions."

Dean Elgar lost his wicket as he played a careless shot in both the innings, and unfortunately the whole batting line-up of South Africa tumbled down thereafter. Faf du Plessis was dismissed by a straight delivery in both the innings, Amla missed out on a straight ball in the second innings and AB de Villiers played on to a straight ball. These were some of the mistakes made by the Proteas. The approach of the team looked very uncertain.

"The chat we had was that the ball's not turning that much, actually," Amla said. "There were quite a few dismissals from both teams from a lack of turn rather than excessive turn."

Amla’s own wicket in the second innings was something of this sort - he called his decision to leave the ball a "brain freeze" in the post-match television interview. As the conference came to an end he agreed that he would have been better offering his shot.

"It's a matter of playing the ball or not playing the ball. If I'd played it I probably would have hit it in the middle of the bat."

Dale and Morne were big blows: Amla

Amla was pretty sure that the score of 200 was "chase-able" but the kind of batting display Proteas had put up, created a lot of ifs and buts for the team. Although he would have preferred a target in the region of 160, they also altered their plan for the fourth innings.

As there was a change in plan, Vernon Philander was sent to open the batting. The Proteas thought that he would give a steady start against the Indian spinners and that would act as a buffer later on, when the team was positive enough about the target.

"We thought we would mix it up and get a right-hander up front. Vernon has one of the most solid techniques and he has done a great job for us at No. 7, including against the new ball," Amla said. "It was a good idea if Ashwin was going to bowl. It would have panned out well for us the way Stiaan batted with Dale to come."

Due to a groin strain, Dale Steyn was unable to unable to bowl in the second innings. "Not having Dale is a difficult one, because he is the best fast bowler in the world and in the subcontinent the most successful fast bowler," Amla said. "It is a blow not to have had Dale in the last innings, and we're certainly missing Morne Morkel."

"Throughout this Test match, even though it was such a short Test match, we managed to hold our own right into the last innings," Amla said. "They could have got away from us with about 250 or 300 in the last innings, and that would have been exceptionally difficult. The way we bowled and applied ourselves in the field was very good," he concluded.

The hosts now lead the series by 1-0. The next test is scheduled from November 14 in Bengaluru.