India succumbed to a 31-point loss in the first one-day international against South Africa in Paarl on Wednesday, as the post-Virat Kohli captaincy era in the 50-over-cricket started off with a rather tacky display. Although the final margin was not huge, India was completely outplayed by the hosts. The tourists were in the game for the first 20 overs of both innings, but let the advantage slip while bowling and batting and never managed to make a comeback. Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen smoothly beat centuries for an attack that seemed toothless. The spin duo Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal were a big disappointment. In the battle section only Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli came to play and there were some fireworks from Shardul Thakur’s blade, which was too little too late.
Here is our report of the India playing XI for the 1st ODI:
KL Rahul – 0/10, Very Bad
It is a mystery how KL Rahul is considered for leadership positions in the Indian team. Although he has scored points in white ball cricket, he is nowhere near a match winner and if IPL captaincy is anything to go by it has fared pretty badly for him. Rahul has lost both matches (Test and ODI) he has led on this tour and his own performance has not been great in either outing. He must prove a point with the bat in the next game and must also be more proactive as captain. Having Bavuma and van der Dussen run away with the game after the Proteas struggled 68/3 at one point shows that he was letting the game float and not taking advantage of the initial advantage.
Shikhar Dhawan – 8/10, Very Good
If anyone had a point to prove in this match, it was the veteran opener and he did it in style. 79 top-class runs, but Dhawan will be upset that he didn’t close the game for the team. It’s shocking how Dhawan has never been considered a leadership pick despite being one of India’s top performers in 50-over cricket along with Rohit and Virat.
Virat Kohli – 7/10, Good
Just when it looked like we were going to see the return of the ‘chasemaster’ Kohli, he lost his wicket. It was once rare to see Kohli come out after he was chased or even when he hit first. But the game and life in general is a great leveler and the guy who could do no wrong a few years ago is having a hard time getting the big ones back. Kohli’s layoff for 51 completely changed the game and led to India’s eventual loss. Team India fans hope the big one is just around the corner.
Rishabh Pants 3/10, Bad
India needs Rishabh Pant to close matches now. MS Dhoni’s greatest strength in the early years of his stint on the team was his ability to take India home in white ball cricket and if Pant is to become Dhoni’s true successor, he must do so consistently.
Shreyas Iyer – 3/10, Bad
This man is blessed with a lot of talent, but things don’t often go the way he wants. Iyer had the perfect opportunity to cement his place in the ODI team, but it wasn’t to be. With players like Suryakumar Yadav in the mix, Shreyas must seize his opportunities and make a mark.
Venkatesh Iyer – 0/10, Very Bad
The Indian team management is still unsure what to do with this young talent and this could be detrimental to the left-hander. He came into the limelight as an opener in the IPL, but the team expects him to be a finisher. It is not an easy task and even more difficult for someone who has never done it. His bowling skills are untapped and Venkatesh Iyer is one bad IPL season away from disappearing into obscurity.
Ravichandran Ashwin – 3/10, Bad
Ravichandran Ashwin is an asset as an all-rounder in Tests, but he is a liability batter and fielder in limited overs cricket. Ashwin can’t hit the big shots and his striker impact decreases when the field is spread, as is the case with ODIs. Add to that the fact that he is not a wicket taker and there is no justification for his return to the ODI side. He can impress with his wizardry in T20Is, but for ODIs, India needs a wrist spinner who can pick wickets and playing Ashwin in 50-over cricket is a step backwards.
Shardul Thakur – 5/10, average
Shardul Thakur can be easily targeted as a bowler if his variations don’t work and that’s exactly what happened on Wednesday. He was taken apart by Bavuma and van der Dussen and that hurt the bowling attack. His batting is an asset and he would have won the game for India if he had had one recognized batter for company.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar- 10/10, Very Bad
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s international career now stands on one leg. He is not a regular in Test cricket and his impact in white ball cricket is rapidly diminishing. He has to get his affairs in order, otherwise he won’t be there any time soon.
Jasper Bumrah – 7/10, Good
Bumrah had a decent outing on Wednesday, but his performance in ODIs has fallen short of his standards since 2020 and he needs to put more weight into the charge as the leader of the attack. India needs him to consistently deliver wickets both in power play and death.
promoted
Yuzvendra Chahal – 0/10, Very Bad
He is a man on a comeback path and Chahal has to find his rhythm again. Chahal and Kuldeep became such a deadly pair because they were willing to take risks into the bargain to pick wickets. He has to do that all over again and become a wicket taker for his captain.
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