Report: South Africa vs India, 2nd ODI - INDIA Tour SA

South Africa beat India by 134 runs in Durban to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. After Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla got South Africa off to a solid start with a 194-run opening stand, Mohammed Shami reined in the hosts to help restrict them to 280. However, India lost their top order in less than nine overs while chasing the competitive target and succumbed to the South African pace attack in 35.1 overs for 146.    (Also Read: Stats Highlights: South Africa vs India, 2nd ODI - INDIA Tour SA) 

Earlier, young de Kock notched up his second successive century against Dhoni’s men as he partnered with Amla to milk the Indian attack. India had made a few changes to their team and replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohit Sharma with Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma to make amends after the treatment that they received from the SA batsmen in Johannesburg.

But once again the SA opening pair set up a splendid platform for the hosts – this time with a 194-run partnership. The openers milked the bowlers at a steady pace as they garnered runs. A little over a week before his 21^st birthday, de Kock posted yet another ODI century and set the tone for the innings. Although he favoured the on side a bit more, he scored quite a few runs on the off side as well. 

MS Dhoni introduced his spinners early in the innings to check the flow of runs, but that ploy did not work. It was in the 36^th over that visitors got their first break when de Kock hit Ashwin to Rohit Sharma at square-leg to return for 106. In the next over, quick work behind the stumps by his opposite number sent back the SA captain AB de Villiers as he came forward to hit Ravindra Jadeja. 

Two quick wickets gave India a breather and they managed to keep the rate below five runs per over for the next few overs. Amla meanwhile reached his century and in the process became the fastest to score 4000 runs in one-dayers. Shami then struck a double-blow. He removed Amla and David Miller in the 44^th over. The ball took the edge off Amla’s bat before landing in Dhoni’s glove to send the opener back for 100, while David Miller was trapped leg-before. The pacer was once again the pick of the Indian bowlers.

JP Duminy and Jacques Kallis’ partnership then ended with the former getting run out while scampering back to the striker’s end. Shami uprooted Kallis’ stump with a fuller delivery to leave SA on 255 for six in the next over.

Vernon Philander then joined Ryan McLaren to help collect 25 off the remaining eight balls with the former slamming 14 off nine. They collected 20 off Umesh Yadav in the last over to set India a 281-run target in the 49 overs-a-side match. 

Chasing 281, the Indian batting line-up was once again found wanting against the Proteas attack. The visitors were left on 16 for two with Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli departing without opening their accounts. The opener hit Dale Steyn to Duminy at backward point, while Lonwabo Tsotsobe took the edge off Kohli’s bat and the wicketkeeper did the rest.

13 runs later, Rohit Sharma was back to the dressing room for 19. Rohit, who had survived a run out chance earlier, had struck Tsotsobe to the boundary before being caught at short-midwicket by Amla.

In the next over, Morne Morkel, bowling for the first time in the match, accounted for Ajinkya Rahane who had replaced Yuvraj Singh in the playing XI. Coming to the crease at No.4, the batsman, who had welcomed Morkel with a four through point, nicked the fast bowler to de Kock leaving the visitors reeling on 34 for four. 

Dhoni, who made his way to the middle in the ninth over, then partnered with Suresh Raina. The duo ran quick singles and kept the scoreboard ticking. They had added 40 runs until Dhoni pushed at a Philander delivery and de Kock took a low one-handed catch to send him back.

Three overs later, with India five short of the three-figure mark, an excellent catch by Miller at cover saw Raina return for 36. Ashwin then joined Ravindra Jadeja in extending the innings to 133 before returning. While attempting to pull Steyn, he only managed to get an edge and was caught by the ‘keeper. And couple of overs later, de Villiers pulled off a brilliant catch at the boundary to remove Jadeja. And Steyn followed up by knocking back Umesh’s middle stump. Tsotsobe then clipped Shami’s bails to wrap up the Indian innings in the next over.

Man of the Match: Quinton de Kock for his match-winning ton

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"The bowlers did well," MS Dhoni says. "They learnt from the last time, but the batsmen played too many shots. I think the shot selection was not right. The SA attack are very accurate and they keep bowling in the same areas and that's what makes them different. Overall, there was not much for the bowlers, not much seam or swing, so that's why I say they bowled well. The pitch was a nice one and the target was a decent one, and we didn't execute our plans with the bat. I don't get too much worried about the losses, how we stand up from here is what i want to see. That will test our character."

"It was a very emotional day and I am glad we came out here and played good cricket," AB de Villiers says. "We have been searching for consistency for a long time and to do it against the No 1 team is a job well done. Quinton and Hash have been very good up front, we struggled towards the end. I though 230-240 was par score, so to get 280 was very good. Quinton de Kock is a very aggressive player, the day I met him, I thought this guys will go far."

Quinton de Kock is the Man of the Match. He says, "It's very satisfying. During tough times, people hate you, so in times like these, you have to enjoy yourselves. I was not so happy to take Dhoni's catch because at that stage, we were looking to get to the 20 over mark and I thought we didn't need a wicket then. "