IND vs SA | Player Ratings - Virat Kohli’s reckless decision at the toss comes back to bite as India face crushing defeat
BCCI
Right after Shikhar Dhawan, who set the tone for India, lost his wicket and Virat Kohli got out cheaply, the Indian middle-order found themselves in the same old morass that has been haunting them for a while now. Perhaps, the skipper should’ve after all not defied the rules of Chinnaswamy.
Rohit Sharma (3/10) - The first delivery faced by the opener turned out to be a huge appeal by the bowler Bjorn Fortuin and the South African team, and while skipper Quinton De Kock didn’t go for the review after the umpire turning down the appeal, it was indeed umpire’s call despite the impact being on point. Then came Kagiso Rabada into the second over, starting off with three consecutive wide deliveries to Shikhar Dhawan and that’s when Rohit Sharma, getting on strike later in the over, smashed a couple of clean boundaries and looked in good mood to bat. However, his innings came to an end soon with Beuran Hendricks rejoicing with Sharma(9 off 8b) getting caught in the slips. He does get half a point extra for his athleticism on the field.
Shikhar Dhawan (7.5/10) - The left-handed opener set the tone for India right from the start of the first innings smashing every bowler who came his way. India could’ve achieved any score at all, even a 200 with the kind of momentum Dhawan added. But alas, he was gone too soon. Just like the previous match, it took a brilliant catch to dismiss the southpaw. This time it was Temba Bavuma, bagging an all-important catch pedalling back from extra-cover and bowler Tabraiz Shamsi celebrated in style post the dismissal.
Virat Kohli (3/10)- It was clear that it was just not the Indian captain’s day at all, as he didn’t look himself right from the start. No boundaries in his 15-ball 9 and no life in his innings, after taking an unpopular decision at the toss, especially at the Chinnaswamy stadium where captains have always decided to chase in the 6 T20Is. The only positive that came out of Kohli was his brilliant catch at mid-on to dismiss the set batsman, Reeza Hendricks, giving India their first breakthrough.
Shreyas Iyer (1/10) - There isn’t much to speak about Shreyas Iyer’s innings, who came in at No.5 for India, and made no impact before getting out for an 8-ball five just a couple of deliveries after Pant perished. Bjorn Fortuin pulled off a smart delivery, which was actually a wide, and Iyer came down to execute a flick but before he could do it, the ball went straight to De Kock and he took no time to take off the bails.
Rishabh Pant(4/10) - Once again, the 21-year-old gloveman proved his critics somewhat right as he got out on a mistimed shot, playing it wider than intended and right into the hands of the fielder at long-off. Pant came out at No.4, as opposed to what Sunil Gavaskar has suggested to bring him down one slot, and despite scoring some runs, a run-a-ball 19, he looked as shaky as ever. The shot which got him out wasn’t his worst from the evening. Perhaps, instead of putting the youngster under pressure the management could let him play his game so that he can smash all the bad shots out of his system and not keep him under tremendous scrutiny which is doing no good to the team and the batsman.
Hardik Pandya (3/10) - Hardik Pandya did add a few runs to India’s tally of 133 with an 18-ball 14 but that was way lower than the calibre of the pace bowling all-rounder that the team so much relies on. Despite being the only one amongst India’s bowlers to get a wicket, the dismissal of Reeza Hendricks was more due to Kohli’s brilliance, as the all-rounder got hit for a heavy 23 in his two overs.
Krunal Pandya (1/10) - After Pant and Iyer got dismissed just one ball apart it was time for the Pandya brothers to bat together but that partnership lasted two deliveries short of a couple of overs. Krunal scored just four runs in seven balls and conceded 40 runs in his 4 overs that was shortened by one delivery as De Kock hit a match-winning six off the penultimate ball of the Mumbai Indians stalwart's spell. That’s about it for the older Pandya sibling’s performance in the game, only negatives.
Ravindra Jadeja (7/10) - However small the spin-bowling all-rounder’s contributions were, it was mostly positive. While the bowlers were being hit all over the park, Jadeja was given the ball in the 14th and 16th overs and he conceded just eight runs in his two-over spell. Perhaps he was brought in too late in the game and subsequently under bowled. His 17-ball 19 wasn’t much but there isn’t much to complain about as the tone was set by the batsmen above him was nothing but negative.
Washington Sundar (7/10) - It was an unfortunate day for the 19-year-old off-spinner who missed out on a major wicket, something that could’ve changed the game in India's favour, of Quinton De Kock in just the seventh over of South Africa’s innings. Sadly India had no reviews left and replays showed three reds. Probably the turning point of the game with de Kock on 28. All in all, the off-spinner bowled decently conceding just 27 runs in his four overs.
Deepak Chahar (5/10) - The pacer bowled economically in his allotted three overs, conceding only 15 runs in a run-fest for the Proteas, but we have rated him badly since a major flaw of his probably cost India the match. In his third over, he appealed massively on a delivery wherein the ball had clearly hit the batsman’s pad outside leg-stump and was going further down leg. However, desperate for a wicket, Chahar convinced his captain to go for a review and that became fatal about an over later.
Navdeep Saini (1/10) - The 26-year-old T20I expert Saini was bowling yorkers to Bavuma, only to have them getting nailed by the batsman, and vice-captain Rohit Sharma’s reaction summed up Saini’s spell that only lasted a couple of overs. He, however, managed to do enough damage, albeit to his own team, by conceding 25 runs in just two overs.
