After a disappointing result in the Tests, a series that was touted as India’s best chance of winning in South Africa, one would have expected better days ahead in the limited-overs leg. It was not to be in the first ODI as India were completely outplayed by their counterparts.
The bowlers failed to apply pressure in the middle overs, allowing Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen to score magnificent tons, setting the perfect platform for their team to win. While the South African skipper played a steady innings, taking his time to get going and then accelerating; Rassie took the bowling attack apart right from the word go.
The Indian bowlers definitely missed a trick not applying enough pressure when South Africa had lost three wickets for not too much on the board.
Dinesh Karthik felt that India lacked genuine pace in the middle overs to be able to push for a wicket. He believes that either one of Prasidh Krishna or Mohammad Siraj could be given a look in, at the expense of one of the senior bowlers.
“I’d definitely like one of Prasidh (Krishna) or (Md) Siraj playing these games. It is very important for India to find a way to add pace to their attack. Whether they want to rest Bumrah or Bhuvi is up to the management. I think they (quick bowlers) can make a difference in the middle of the innings, which is where they don’t seem to find wickets,” told Dinesh Karthik while speaking to Cricbuzz after the game.
The suggestion is sure to raise quite a few eyebrows since these bowlers themselves are quite inexperienced at the international stage and many would think that Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar could do a much better job.
Apart from the criticism about the bowling, the batters faced their fair share of flak as well. The collapses in the middle order have become too frequent for anyone’s liking. India would, thus, need to get all aspects of their game sorted before they take the field for the second ODI.
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