Series Decider Underway in Visakhapatnam
The highly anticipated third and final One-Day International between India and South Africa is currently unfolding at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. With the three-match series tied at 1-1, both teams entered this encounter with everything to play for. Indian captain KL Rahul won the toss and, breaking a remarkable 20-match toss-losing streak in ODIs, elected to bowl first, a decision influenced by the anticipated dew factor later in the evening.
The pitch report, delivered by Deep Dasgupta and Shaun Pollock, indicated a hard surface with good grass covering, promising bounce and carry for bowlers, even spinners. Square boundaries measured 63m and 62m, with a straight boundary of 73m. While dew was expected, it was predicted to arrive later than in previous matches, offering some respite for the bowlers in the initial stages.
South Africa’s Strong Start, De Kock’s Milestone Century
South Africa’s innings began with an early setback as opener Ryan Rickelton, making a return to the squad, was dismissed for a duck in the first over by Arshdeep Singh, caught by KL Rahul. However, Quinton de Kock and captain Temba Bavuma quickly stabilized the innings, building a formidable partnership that saw South Africa dominate the powerplay.
Quinton de Kock was in sublime form, showcasing his vintage aggressive style. He brought up a brilliant century, his 7th against India and 23rd overall in ODIs. This milestone saw him equal Kumar Sangakkara for the most ODI hundreds as a designated wicketkeeper (23). Furthermore, de Kock joined an elite club alongside Sachin Tendulkar, Saeed Anwar, AB de Villiers, and Rohit Sharma, all of whom have scored seven ODI centuries in an away country, specifically India.
Temba Bavuma provided solid support, contributing 48 runs before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja, known for his lethal spells on sticky afternoon wickets in India, outfoxed Bavuma with a clever wide delivery, inducing an edge that was sharply caught by Virat Kohli at point.
India’s Bowling Unit Stages a Remarkable Comeback
Despite South Africa’s strong start, India’s bowlers orchestrated a significant turnaround in the middle overs, shifting the momentum back in their favor. Prasidh Krishna, who had a challenging start to the series, delivered a crucial spell, picking up three vital wickets.
- **Matthew Breetzke (24 runs):** Krishna trapped Breetzke plumb in front of the stumps with a full, angled delivery. Despite a review, the decision stood with three reds on Ball Tracking.
- **Aiden Markram (1 run):** The centurion from the previous match, Markram, fell cheaply, pushing a fuller delivery straight to Virat Kohli at short cover.
- **Quinton de Kock (106 runs):** In a massive breakthrough, Krishna bowled de Kock with a fast, fuller delivery that crashed into the stumps, ending his magnificent innings and completing a superb comeback for the pacer.
Kuldeep Yadav also made a significant impact, dismissing the dangerous Dewald Brevis for 29 runs. Brevis, who had earlier hit Tilak Varma for two sixes, attempted to whack a tossed-up delivery but skied it to Rohit Sharma at point. Marco Jansen also received a lifeline when Tilak Varma dropped a catch, highlighting some mixed fielding efforts from India.
Team Changes and Series Context
For India, Tilak Varma was brought into the playing XI in place of Washington Sundar, a move aimed at bolstering the batting lineup given the expectation of chasing with dew. South Africa made two injury-enforced changes, with Ryan Rickelton and Ottneil Baartman replacing Nandre Burger and Tony de Zorzi. Notably, Aiden Markram, who scored a century in the previous game, was demoted in the batting order.
The series has been characterized by high-scoring affairs, with both teams posting totals exceeding 340 in the first two ODIs. In the second ODI in Naya Raipur, South Africa successfully chased down India’s target of 359, recording the joint-highest chase in ODI history in India. Aiden Markram (110), Matthew Breetzke (68), and Dewald Brevis (54) were instrumental in that record chase, with Corbin Bosch sealing the victory with an unbeaten 29 off 15 balls, as reported by digitaltrendstoday.com.
As South Africa’s innings progressed, India’s bowlers managed to rein in the scoring after the initial onslaught, with the Proteas reaching 234/6 when Brevis was dismissed. The match remains finely poised, with India’s middle-overs bowling resurgence setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the series decider.
