On Wednesday, Team India was defeated by South Africa by 31 runs in the first ODI of the three-match series in Paarl. The Indian middle-order failed to steer the chase after Shikhar Dhawan (79) and Virat Kohli (51) laid up a platform in the opening portion of the innings, limiting South Africa to 265/8 in fifty overs. The Indian bowling attack, with the exception of Jasprit Bumrah, seemed rusty, as skipper Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen both struck stunning hundreds. Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin had given India a commanding start with three early wickets, but Bavuma and van der Dussen put on a 204-run fourth-wicket stand to derail the visitors’ momentum.
Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir discussed the Indian bowling attack in depth, saying that while credit must be given to Bavuma for his outstanding innings, he would have preferred to see KL Rahul lead the team more aggressively. In his first ODI, the Karnataka-born batsman has taken the lead. ‘I don’t think so (that Indian bowlers were poor). Sometimes, you have to give credit to the batsmen as well. Temba Bavuma is in great form, he played brilliantly in the Test series and carried the momentum forward in ODIs,’ Gambhir said on Star Sports.
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