Former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Mark Boucher noted that David Miller seemed completely baffled against spin during their 61-run defeat to India in the first T20I on Friday, November 8. The ex-cricketer also felt that the Proteas missed the opportunity to capitalize on the subtle assistance the pitch provided.
During the middle overs, Miller and Heinrich Klaasen struggled to find boundaries in their chase of the 203-run target. Both players were dismissed in the same over by Varun Chakravarthy, severely hindering South Africa’s chase.
In an interview with JioCinema, the 147-Test veteran specifically highlighted the 11th over bowled by Ravi Bishnoi, where Miller faced five consecutive dot balls before managing to take a single.
“David Miller wasn’t picking a thing at all. I mean, there’s one over there where I think he missed four out of the six deliveries he faced. So yeah, he was bowled really well tonight, and it just goes to show two quality spinners.”
”There was something there for the bowlers on that wicket. Something that South African bowlers could not exploit,” Boucher said (via India Today).
In the following over, Klaasen struck a six off the second ball. However, Chakravarthy then dismissed Klaasen (25), who was caught at long-on, and shortly after, Miller (18) misplayed a shot, sending the ball to deep square leg.
“He altered the seam position”- Mark Boucher on Ravi Bishnoi’s variations in his bowling
Boucher went on to highlight how Bishnoi mixed up his seam position to generate movement off the surface. The 47-year-old also mentioned in the same interview:
“I was watching a couple of his (Ravi Bishnoi) balls come out a little bit different and I think what he did really well tonight, especially in the dark, is he changed the seam up. Sometimes you look at the ball, especially as a wicket-keeper as well. You look at the ball and see if you can see it spinning different ways. But he muddled his seam up very nicely.”
The two teams will head to Gqeberha for the second T20I on Sunday, November 10.
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