5 Talking points from India South Africa 3rd ODI: Kohli's return to form, Dhoni's lightning hands, and the pitch that decided the match
Morne Morkel’s 4-wicket haul helped South Africa defeat India by 18 runs in the 3rd ODI at Rajkot on Sunday thus giving the visitors a 2-1 lead in the 5-match series.A late fightback by the Indian bowlers nullified the foundation laid by Quinton de Kock’s century, but chasing the target of 271 set by the Proteas, India fell short despite fighting half-centuries by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.Here are the five most game-changing moments and factors, which decided the winner and set opinion mills working.
#1 Indian spinners frustrate South Africa
The Rajkot pitch had been touted to be a batting paradise before the match, a pitch that could serve as the stage for the slugfest of runs between India and South Africa that fans have been waiting for. From the way the South Africans started their innings, it looked as if things would go according to script too.
However, Harbhajan Singh (1/41) and Amit Mishra (1/38) had other ideas. They kept their lines tight, broke the South African momentum by getting David Miller and Hashim Amla back into the hut. Their 20 overs yielded a combined total of 79 runs, a vital contribution in what was supposed to be a match of 300+ totals.
Mishra’s inclusion in the team in place of Umesh Yadav bore fruits. Amla, for the second time in the series, could not read Mishra’s flight, and was gone cheaply.