Amla: The toughest surface I have played on

Cricket365
December 8, 2015

South Africa captain Hashim Amla said the surface in Nagpur was the toughest he has played on after the Proteas lost to India in the third Test, and the lost the four-match series with a game to spare.

The game only lasted until the final session on the third day with the pitch taking prodigious turn from the opening day one. Both teams batsmen struggled, with the top individual score of the match only 40 from India opener Murali Vijay.

South Africa were skittled out for 79 in their first innings while Amla made 39 in the second knock as the visitors were bowled out for 185, chasing 310.

Amla said after the game: "The surface was probably the toughest that I have had and the cricket itself was really difficult. Credit to India, they kind of bowled well. Unfortunately, we ended up on the wrong side of this game."

"One consolation would be that the conditions we played in. We haven't experienced this type of challenge before.

"I haven't played on this before in my life anywhere away from home so I suppose it's a bit of consolation because it was really challenging and you never know if we had come against this before what would have happened.

"When I first came to India in 2008 and even in 2010, I was facing Anil Kumble, Harbhajan. I think if I had to face them on wickets like this I don't think I would have got any runs either. Facing them here would have been an nightmare."

The fourth and final Test of the series starts in Delhi on 3 December.