STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsThe misery that started from the second Test has finally ended for India, not the final result they would have expected though. After breaching South Africa’s fortress in the first Test, India lost all the remaining five encounters, two Test and three ODIs.
After KL Rahul chose to field, Deepak Chahar made the crucial breakthrough at the start after he removed Janeman Malan. India reduced South Africa to 70/3 in the 13th over. But, Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen hoisted a 144-run partnership for the fourth wicket. De Kock fell after scoring his 17th century in ODIs and India had the opening they required. Despite the partnership, India managed to restrict South Africa for 287.
In reply, Rahul fell early and it was once again the pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli that resurrected the innings with a 98-run partnership for the second wicket. When Dhawan was dismissed in the 23rd over, it was the same old failure story of the Indian middle order. Once again, the lower middle order batsmen contributed better than the middle order. Not only did they contribute, they had almost pulled it off for India after Deepak Chahar’s cameo of 54 from 34 balls. But, India fell short by four runs handing South Africa a series white-wash. Here are a few notable stats from the third ODI:
From Quinton with love
There have been a lot of changes in South African cricket, but de Kock scoring runs against India in ODIs remains an inevitability. After missing out an opportunity in the first ODI, de Kock bounced back with a 78 in the second ODI and bettered it with a century in the third. This was his sixth ODI century against India, the joint second most for a player.
To emboss more on his love of scoring runs against India. De Kock registered 1000 ODI runs against India in just 16 innings, the joint quickest alongside Steve Smith to achieve the feat against India.
In ODIs, this was de Kock’s 17th ton for South Africa, levelled with Jacques Kallis at number four in the list of most centuries for South Africa.
All his 17 centuries have come as designated opening wicket-keeper batsman. He now has the most centuries for an opening wicket-keeper batsman, surpassing Adam Gilchrist’s tally of 16 centuries.
The fourth wicket juggernaut
Throughout the series, the fourth wicket partnership has been a blessing for South Africa. In fact, throughout the tour, more in the ODIs than the Test series. In three matches, South Africa’s fourth wicket partnerships read: 204 (1st ODI), 74* (2nd ODI) & 144 (3rd ODI). Overall, the fourth wicket partnership has accumulated 422 runs in three matches, the second most in a series. Only in the 2007 World Cup, their fourth wicket had witnessed more runs – 423.
On a rather staggering note, the fourth wicket partnership for South Africa in this series averaged 211, which is the highest in a series with minimum 150 runs scored. Interestingly, England’s fourth wicket partnership against Bangladesh in 2003 had scored 272 runs in three innings without being dismissed.
To add more, in a bilateral series, the 422 runs scored for the fourth wicket by South Africa is the third most runs scored. Australia against South Africa in 2002 had scored 563 runs in six matches and India against Sri Lanka in 2005 scored 444 in six matches.
Dhawan continues his good form against SA
Despite his knocks coming in losing cause, Dhawan’s innings in the first and third ODIs are a positive sign for India. In general, Dhawan likes scoring against South Africa, his average of 50.9 against them in ODIs is a testimony of it. By registering his second half-century of the series, Dhawan now has nine scores of over 50 against South Africa in this format. Only Sachin Tendulkar (12) has more 50+ scores as an opener against the Proteas. Dhawan is equalled with Sourav Ganguly, who also has nine.
Deepak Chahar, an all-rounder in the making
First Shardul Thakur and now Chahar, proving they can bat and showing all the signs of a good all-rounder. In his first ODI in South Africa, Chahar picked up two wickets and scored a magnificent 54 that almost brought India home in the third ODI. Among Indians, he is only the third batsman after Gautam Gambhir (57) in 2009 and Saba Karim (55) in 1997 in this format to register a 50+ score in the first match in South Africa (first match, not first innings).
In addition, he also became the third visiting all-rounder after Thisara Perera (69* & 2/34) in 2012 and Shakib Al Hasan (51 & 2/48) in 2008 to pick up two wickets and score a half-century in their first match in South Africa.
India’s middle order muddle
Through the ODI series, the difference between the two sides has been the middle order batting. At one end, the South African middle order batsmen (4-6) had averaged 78.6 as compared to 24.2 by India. Let alone the comparison of middle order between the two teams.
If we compare between the Indian batting order, the reason behind their losses is clearly visible. In the three matches, India’s top order (1-3) has averaged 40.1 with five fifties and have a balls/dismissal ratio of 50.3. The lower-middle order (7-8) batsmen have averaged even better than the top three batters. In three matches, they have averaged 59.3 with two half-centuries and have balls/dismissal ratio of 52.7. However, the middle order (4-6) of India have averaged only 24.2 and have a balls/dismissal ratio of 25.7.
First series white-wash for India against SA
After conceding an unassailable lead of 2-0, India were expected to perform better in this dead rubber but that wasn’t the case. By handing a four-run victory to South Africa, India were white-washed by South Africa for the first time in a bilateral ODI series. In 2006, India had lost four matches out of the five with the first ODI being abandoned and in the 2013 series, India lost two and the third ODI was washed out after the first innings. These are the only three series against South Africa where they were winless.
Unlucky Rahul
The start to his captaincy hasn’t been great for Rahul. Though he is currently the stand-in skipper for India, he is one of the captaincy prospects for India in the future. Interestingly, two Rahul’s from the same state (Karnataka) have had contrasting starts to their ODI captaincy. Rahul Dravid, the current head coach, started off with three wins on the trot and KL Rahul has started with three losses. By virtue of it, KL Rahul became the first Indian captain to lose the first three ODIs.
