South Africa continued their winning streak with an impressive win over India. They now have 20 consecutive wins on the trot and need one more to level the existing record.
The calm, cool and collected manner that they chased a difficult target suggests that the record could be theirs but the Indians have plenty to be positive about, inspite of the loss. India have rarely had such a horror start losing their top five batsmen without even 35 on the board. The last time one recalls such a collapse was way back in 1983, when Zimbabwe rocked India at 17 for five wickets till a player from Chandigarh walked in and played one of the all time great innings in limited overs cricket.
If in 1983 it was Kapil Dev, whose innings of 175 gave India the total to fight back and then win the game, it was another lad from Chandigarh, Yuvraj Singh, who saved India’s blushes with a wonderful century.
It wasn’t enough to get India a victory, but he and the lower order showed that they were not going to throw in the towel just because the regulars had failed. Both Yuvraj and Irfan Pathan displayed great character as they set about to repair the innings.
They were not intent only on waiting for the bad ball but also played some fine shots to push South African skipper Graeme Smith into thinking about saving runs rather than getting wickets.
Yuvraj also got good support from Agarkar and Harbhajan. The off-spinner played a terrific innings, where he played proper cricketing shots rather than the slogs he otherwise employs. If this effort does not convince him that he too can make a contribution with the bat, then nothing will.
He later bowled beautifully mixing his deliveries and none of the South African batsmen could take a chance with him. The way he bowled and the turn that Tendulkar got suggests that the Indians may have been premature in substituting Murali Kartik with Gautam Gambhir, though it is understandable for at that stage India were in the doldrums but Gambhir got out yet again chasing a widish half volley and so did not justify the substitution.
The recovery which Pathan, Dhoni, Agarkar and Harbhajan effected also brought out the substitution factor especially later as Kartik’s spin would have come in handy on the slow pitch where there was turn for the spinner.
The South Africans have showed that their new ball attack has more teeth than the Lankan one and their fielding also was far superior to the Lankans. Smith handled the bowling changes very well, though he may have to think about using the one dimensional Ntini as a bowler in the slog overs, for he offers just the pace and length for the batsmen looking for the big hits.
Kallis was the steadying factor in the South African chase and with him being there, the Proteas were never in trouble though they lost half their side. The skipper batted well as did another left-hander, Ashwell Prince, which is where the Indian ‘think tank’ will have to look to stop the South Africans. For the Lankans too it was a left-hander Sangakarra, who scored the runs till he went off the boil in the last few games.
Justin Kemp certainly won the first round of the battle between the big hitters and it was disappointing to see Dhoni claim a catch when the ball had clearly lobbed just before it entered his gloves.
India can win without looking for these methods and though there will always be decisions that will go one way or the other, it’s important to play the game in the right spirit.
South Africa’s victory was a comfortable one and they showed the difference between the Lankan lethargy and supreme fitness. India will be tested for sure and will need to play at their best if they are to beat the Proteas.
