The Indian bench has an underwhelming audition.
The Indian bench has an underwhelming audition. Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik’s bromance has dominated the series. Rohit has kissed the forehead, mock-strangled, and murmured in ears; today, he punched meme-miners. As India lost their last wicket, Karthik clapped his hands, and Rohit punched him with a smile.
Perhaps the punch was about Karthik’s expulsion by a reverse-switch lap shot.
Karthik had looked good for much longer and needed more time in the middle before the T20 World Cup. South Africa won the series and would remember Gauhati as a rare off-day with the ball.
The swinging ball blindsided them in the opening game. Their top order, especially Temba Bavuma’s form, is a concern, but other aspects are improving. India needs a death-overs bowler.
Quinton’s solace: a delectable late-cut
Quinton de Kock’s tap through the slips for four stuck out among the typical pick-up shots behind square-off pacers and R Ashwin’s reverse-lapped six. It was the penultimate ball of the 7th over, a slower cutter from halfway down the track, and de Kock seemed ready to leg-side swing.
At the last moment, he held himself back from letting go and displayed remarkable fielding awareness and talent by tapping the ball to the right of short third man for a four. It was a surprise from a pre-determined massive hit to a delightful late-cut.
Deepak Chahar runs out non-strikers.
Deepak Chahar missed a chance to run out Tristian Stubbs in the 16th over.
Deepti Sharma justifiably dismissed Charlie Dean lately. Stubbs escaped before Chahar could deliver the ball. He did a simulated underhand throw at the stumps and smiled at Stubbs. Chahar, Rohit, and Stubbs all smiled.
Chahar’s 24 concedes puts India on the clock.
Deepak Chahar was mentioned after one of the last game’s final overs as a likely run-plug. In the 16th over, Rilee Rossouw hit two sixes off full balls. Chahar got another over.
David Miller hit two sixes and a four off length deliveries to score 24 runs. The first ball sailed wide. India must find a bowler for the finish overs. Why play ODIs before a T20 world cup? England and Pakistan used a 7-game T20I series to find a death bowler.
Last audition for those on the bench
The series was over, the World Cup was approaching, and India wanted to play everyone. The benchwarmers got their chance when Rohit Sharma was out in the second over. Suryakumar Yadav, the series’ hero, was dropped as the last game became an audition.
Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and Dinesh Karthik finally played. South Africans also have Australia in mind. They, too, wanted every outing to count. Wayne Parnell’s short balls were predicted, and Iyer didn’t last long. Iyer is a World Cup reserve but must shed his reputation as a batter who can’t manage bounce.
Jabber jabber Rohit style!
Dinesh Karthik struck 46 from 21 balls before being bowled by Keshav Maharaj’s reverse-switch shot. Rohit Sharma shook his head and grumbled in the dugout, annoyed at a two-wheeler.
On air, Sunil Gavaskar said DK plays that shot well. Rishabh Pant’s cameo, in which he hit Lungi Ngidi for two sixes and two fours in the 5th over, showed India how things could have gone had they been more experimental in their experimental period. They might have opened with him or a better player.
Delhi’s Pant for Opener
Rishabh Pant gave the Indians a tantalizing opening option and a migraine. Pundits say Rohit Sharma’s ideal partner is a pinch hitter who can disrupt bowling strategy and manage the run pace.
Such batters allow Rohit time to settle and become unstoppable. Pant is a better opener than Virat Kohli, despite management’s claims.
Pant’s 20-run over off Lungi Ngidi, in which he was out on the final ball, proved that he may be the captain’s perfect counterpart at the top of the order. India’s T20 opener. Pant missed a cross-batted slog to square and was smacked on the thigh. Not with the new ball. But he quickly improved.
Two straight drives went for four. A superb lofted six-to-long on showed flawless elbow position. A short ball cut recalled Shikhar Dhawan and Virender Sehwag. Pant as opener may have started in Delhi.
Quinton ran because…
Harshal Patel threw a catch to short midwicket, where Dwaine Pretorius caught it. Harshal’s running reminded some of Javagal Srinath’s. Quinton de Kock, the wicketkeeper, also sprinted towards Pretorius.
On-air comms thought he was celebrating the grab, but he may have run to get Pretorius’s dropped ball. He was out of position when Pretorius scrambled for the ball and threw it to the striker. Axar Patel’s Harshal tripped and fell. In his hurry, Pretorious missed all that.
He threw the ball thinking de Kock was behind the wickets. Instead, the wicketkeeper was far from his post and headed for the stumps. Pretorius pointed at the stumps and asked de Kock why he wasn’t there.
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