5 Talking Points from India South Africa 4th ODI: Legends stamp their class, India's long tail and Dhoni's gift to Kohli
Virat Kohli’s 23rd ODI century, combined with an outstanding bowling effort by the spinners, helped India equalise the 5-match ODI series 2-2 with a win over South Africa at Chennai on Thursday. The 5-match series has rightfully gone down to the wire, with the winner to be decided after the 5th ODI in Mumbai on Sunday.Chasing the target of 300 set by the hosts, AB De Villiers single-handedly brought the Proteas close to the total with a knock of 112 but in the end it was not enough as the visitors fell short by 35 runs. The game-changing moments and the most talked-about issues in the match.
#1 Kohli\'s \'tribute to Sehwag\'
A really long innings has been coming for a while from Virat Kohli, and with his 140-ball 138 in Chennai, the signs are that his drought of runs in ODIs in 2015 is well and truly over – the floodgates have opened. After 12 innings without a fifty, Kohli has been India’s highest scorer for two consecutive matches.
Kohli came in to bat with the score reading 35/2 after 8 overs, earning a return to his favoured No.3 spot with his success in the last match. He played some glorious shots in his knock, and went from strength to strength even as he kept losing his partners.
He brought up his 23rd ODI ton, his first against South Africa, in 110 balls. He gave charge after his century, but the heat and humidity got to him, and he could be seen only dealing in singles towards the end. He was also struggling with cramps – so much so that he did not come out to field in the 2nd innings.
He brought up his century with a six, perhaps in a tribute to the ways of Virender Sehwag, the last swashbuckling batsman to have played for India. He then took off his helmet and celebrated in emphatic fashion – perhaps a release of the immense pressure he has been under to score big for a long time.
Kohli was not part of the Indian fielding unit in the second half of the match – having been advised rest. It was heartwarming to see Dhoni, who usually takes a stump from matches which are special to him, taking a stump and giving it to Kohli, without whose mammoth knock the win would not have been possible.