T20 World Cup 2022: India Player Ratings vs South Africa as Men in Blue suffer first Super 12 defeat despite SKY blitz
Team India suffered their first loss in the 2022 T20 World Cup as South Africa moved to the top of the Group 2 table with a five-wicket win on Sunday, October 30 in Perth.
After electing to bat first, India were reduced to 49/5 in the ninth over and only managed to reach a fighting 133/9 because of Suryakumar Yadav's stellar 68. Although Arshdeep Singh's opening burst gave the Men in Blue some hope, Aiden Markram and David Miller held their nerve as the Indian fielding went from bad to worse.
Here are India's player ratings from their T20 World Cup Super 12 encounter against South Africa.
T20 World Cup 2022: Barring SKY, batters fail to deliver for Team India
KL Rahul: 2.5/10
Rahul failed for the third game running in the T20 World Cup with another tentative start and dismissal. India really can't afford to have the opener eat up deliveries at the start without any conviction. He snaffled a good catch at second slip but was lethargic with his ground fielding.
Rohit Sharma: 2/10
As Rahul piled the pressure on him, Rohit tried to break free but fell to Lungi Ngidi after scoring 15. His wicket started the procession for India, and what was more concerning was the way he was rushed for pace, something that has become all too common recently.
In the second innings, Rohit missed two run-outs, one of which was on a platter. His bizarre decision to hand Ashwin the 18th over ended in expectedly terrible fashion.
Virat Kohli: 2/10
Kohli tried to be positive and played a couple of delightful strokes but top-edged a pull when India needed him to get stuck in. It's not often that we see the former skipper dismissed in that fashion. Kohli's evening went from bad to worse as he shelled a sitter at deep midwicket and squandered another chance following a miscommunication with Hardik Pandya.
Suryakumar Yadav: 9.5/10
SKY was the glue that held the Indian innings together, as well as the only batter to score more than 15. He essayed a superlative knock consisting of six fours and three sixes on the pitch where everyone else looked completely out of their depth and gave the team a fighting chance.
Hardik Pandya: 5/10
Hardik played a poor shot to get out, making no attempt to keep his pull off Ngidi down at a time when India desperately needed a partnership. He was decent if unspectacular with the ball and prised out Markram in his final over.
Dinesh Karthik: 2/10
Karthik endured a miserable stay in the middle. He labored to six runs before finally attempting to break the shackles in the 16th over, only to see his wild hoick across the line land in the palms of a waiting fielder. The veteran keeper, who took a good catch to dismiss Temba Bavuma, hobbled off with an apparent back injury late in the contest.
Deepak Hooda: 1/10
Brought in to beef up the batting department in challenging conditions, Hooda looked all at sea. He flashed and missed off his second ball before attempting a similar shot where he wasn't as lucky.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 7.5/10
Bhuvneshwar didn't do much wrong against South Africa, beating the bat several times and giving away only 12 runs in his three powerplay overs. He didn't have enough to defend in the final over.
Ravichandran Ashwin: 2/10
Ashwin endured a miserable outing in Perth. He was hit for four sixes and a four as he got his lengths wrong repeatedly. The off-spinner's wicket of Tristan Stubbs was barely any consolation.
Arshdeep Singh: 8/10
Arshdeep's two-wicket burst in the second over of the South African innings put India on top in the powerplay. The left-armer has been India's biggest wicket-taking threat in the T20 World Cup.
Mohammad Shami: 8/10
Shami's miserly spell produced only one wicket but he was terrific on Sunday, conceding 13 runs.