ICC Champions Trophy: India v/s South Africa – Hits and Misses

What a spectacular game of cricket we witnessed at the Cardiff today, kick starting the Champions Trophy with the clash of two teams expected to make it to the semis. India took on South Africa with a superb display of batting performances and a great spin attack. South Africa sure did miss Steyn’s presence, as the lead wicket-taker was out owing to a rib injury.

The same cannot be said of the absence of Murali Vijay.

Both sides displayed some grit and determination and the viewers were in for a treat. No, the South Africans did not ‘choke’ as they always do. They put up a grand fight, but in the end, the Indian side was the better one. A huge first wicket partnership, fielding making up for the not so convincing bowling and the miscommunication between the South Africans saw the Indian side victorious. Here’s a look at the hits and misses of the day.

Shikhar Dhawan – Moustache-twirling-worthy maiden ODI century

A maiden ODI century leading to the team’s win is the stuff dreams are made of. A very well balanced performance, important singles and some fundamental cricketing shots made it such a thrilling experience watching him bat. He played the pace attack all too well, making full use of the opportunity of the lack of an incisive pace attack on the part of the South Africans. The South African fielding, or the lack of it, helped Dhawan sail through to make 114 off 92 balls. The missed stumping by AB de Villiers, when Dhawan was at 102, did not help the Proteas’ case. Dhawan finally did get out trying to sweep the ball to square leg. But he had done enough to proudly twirl his moustache.

Rohit Sharma – Perfect Partner

In what was seen as an unpredictable and a desperate move, Sharma, today, opened with Shikhar Dhawan, when Murali Vijay was benched due to his poor performance in the warm up matches. But MSD, known for taking risks, rejoiced as it paid off. Sharma went on to make 127 runs with Dhawan, a first wicket partnership that defined the course of the game. The first century partnership in more than 2 years against South Africa, it was an absolute delight watching the two kill the pacer’s confidence. Keeping his cool and reading the ball well, shifting quickly and adjusting his stance to the fast ball saw Sharma make a cool 65. He got out at 65 when he tried playing one of the rare good balls that came from McLaren. But he did enough to give India the batting momentum they needed.

Ravindra Jadeja - Sir of all trades

Time and again it has been proven that Jadeja is a great hitter, and that the Indian side could depend on him when it matters the most. Once the likes of Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik and even Raina failed to milk the batting powerplay, Jadeja knocked 47 runs of just 29 balls. This knock included him smashing 7 fours and a six, and a sacrificial run out from Ashwin. In the end, it made all the difference.

There were some disappointing performances, more so from South Africa.

South African bowling attack – Or the lack of it

It was not just one bowler but a couple of pacers who made sure Dhawan got his maiden ODI century. The South African team’s  dependence on Steyn was clearly visible. Tsotsobe and Klenveldt got a few wickets but not at crucial moments. Conceding 162 runs between the two, lack of pace and length saw the SA bowlers being thwarted for boundaries and easy singles by the Indian batsmen. The South African fielding did not help a bit. A missed stumping, and sloppy fielding at the boundaries did them in. Morkel was the saving grace, and looked promising with his first over, but as fate would have it, he got injured, leaving South Africa in deep trouble.

Some serious homework needs to be done, or the South Africans can only hope and pray Steyn recovers soon and that Morne’s injury is not serious.

David Miller – Headless Duck

Run out for a duck by Ishant Sharma when the team needed him the most. Total failure in communication. Enough said.

Opening partnership – Stumbling run chase

The lack of an opening stand from Amla and Ingram left the South African run chase stumbling. Had it not been for the quick 50 by AB de Villiers and Peterson, who walked in at no 3, South Africa would’ve choked. A bad call for a second led to Peterson’s run out and an easy catch by Jadeja sent AB packing, thus ending all hopes for the South African chase.

Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik missed out on being the flops of today by more than making it up for their batting. However, they failed to capitalize on the batting powerplay and the excellent platform built by Sharma and Dhawan. The same goes for Ishant Sharma, who made sure the South Africans were still in the game. He definitely does need to work on his fielding and needs to be quicker on the field.

 

The Indian side are off to a good start in the Champions Trophy. But the bowlers need to work very, very hard. As for South Africa, any more injuries would be fatal for their chances in the tournament.