
(Image Credit: ANI)
India was asked to bat first after losing another toss that resulted in their 20th consecutive underdog decision and chose an unchanged playing XI. The beginning of the innings was not very promising, as the openers could not perform well, but eventually, Virat Kohli took control of the situation, while Ruturaj Gaikwad supported him from the other end.
Together they made a significant fifty runs stand which helped India to overcome the early crisis in the match. At the end of 25 overs, India was in a very strong position of 158/2 with Kohli as the mainstay and laying the groundwork for an enormous score. The middle overs were marked by very effective bowling by the visitors, who, in particular, Keshav Maharaj, made sure that the Indian batsmen were not scoring freely and at the same time were under pressure. However, India kept their heads cool in the midst of the pressure and attempted to improve their scoring with the combination of caution and controlled aggression. Kohli was at the crease and he looked calm and determined to be the reliable anchor in the tough conditions.
Having had a good start and wickets in hand, India appeared to be in a good position to set a total which could not be chased, while South Africa, who made a few changes including the return of Temba Bavuma, would require a disciplined bowling attack and sharp fielding to mount a challenge to the home team. The match is going to be a close fight with Kohli’s form and India’s composure being the main factors as they not only want a big score but also want to win the series.
Also Read: Why Team India Is Without Shubman Gill In The 2nd ODI vs South Africa?
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