ICC Champions Trophy: India v/s South Africa - Hits and Misses

What a spectacular game of cricket we witnessed at the Cardiff today, kick starting the Champions Trophy with the clash of two teams expected to make it to the semis. India took on South Africa with a superb display of batting performances and a great spin attack. South Africa sure did miss Steyn’s presence, as the lead wicket-taker was out owing to a rib injury. The same cannot be said of the absence of Murali Vijay.

Both sides displayed some grit and determination and the viewers were in for a treat. No, the South Africans did not ‘choke’ as they always do. They put up a grand fight, but in the end, the Indian side was the better one. A huge first wicket partnership, fielding making up for the not so convincing bowling and the miscommunication between the South Africans saw the Indian side victorious. Here’s a look at the hits and misses of the day.

Shikhar Dhawan – Moustache-twirling-worthy maiden ODI century

A maiden ODI century leading to the team’s win is the stuff dreams are made of. A very well balanced performance, important singles and some fundamental cricketing shots made it such a thrilling experience watching him bat. He played the pace attack all too well, making full use of the opportunity of the lack of an incisive pace attack on the part of the South Africans. The South African fielding, or the lack of it, helped Dhawan sail through to make 114 off 92 balls. The missed stumping by AB de Villiers, when Dhawan was at 102, did not help the Proteas’ case. Dhawan finally did get out trying to sweep the ball to square leg. But he had done enough to proudly twirl his moustache.

Rohit Sharma – Perfect Partner

In what was seen as an unpredictable and a desperate move, Sharma, today, opened with Shikhar Dhawan, when Murali Vijay was benched due to his poor performance in the warm up matches. But MSD, known for taking risks, rejoiced as it paid off. Sharma went on to make 127 runs with Dhawan, a first wicket partnership that defined the course of the game. The first century partnership in more than 2 years against South Africa, it was an absolute delight watching the two kill the pacer’s confidence. Keeping his cool and reading the ball well, shifting quickly and adjusting his stance to the fast ball saw Sharma make a cool 65. He got out at 65 when he tried playing one of the rare good balls that came from McLaren. But he did enough to give India the batting momentum they needed.

Ravindra Jadeja - Sir of all trades

Time and again it has been proven that Jadeja is a great hitter, and that the Indian side could depend on him when it matters the most. Once the likes of Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik and even Raina failed to milk the batting powerplay, Jadeja knocked 47 runs of just 29 balls. This knock included him smashing 7 fours and a six, and a sacrificial run out from Ashwin. In the end, it made all the difference.