By: Tarish Bhatt
If there is anything better than watching in-form Virat Kohli batting, is Virat Kohli scoring a century. And, the Delhi-dasher didn’t disappoint in the crucial game against South Africa, scoring a magnificent hundred, ensuring India remain alive in the five-match ODI series.
Kohli scored his 23rd ODI century, first against South Africa, as India managed to level the series 2-2 in the 4th ODI, beating the Proteas in Chennai. The Delhi-born was in his element, and made a flowing century, once again proving that he is a big game player.
Suresh Raina, too, played a good innings, and stitched a 127-run partnership with Virat Kohli, who earlier made a 104-run stand with Ajinkya Rahane, to help India post a imposing target for South Africa on a deteriorating pitch.
The hosts, however, fell short of what could have been atleast 15-20 runs more, as South Africa pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn knotted Indian batsmen in the death over. Still, 299 proved to be enough for India to win the 4th ODI.
Chasing 300 was always going to be difficult, especially against India, who were playing with three spinners – Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel and Amit Mishra – and it soon paid dividend.
Once the ball got old, skipper MS Dhoni deployed spinners from both ends, with Harbhajan Singh being the wrecker-in-chief. The off-spinner ripped through the Proteas top-order, and the visitors had no answers of his sharp turners.
Quinton de Kock, however, made full use of the new hard ball and played a swift innings, but once the spinners came into the picture, he looked completely clueless. Once de Kock was dismissed by Harbhajan, South Africa skipper AB de Villiers was the lone man fighting for his team.
It proved insufficient, as the wickets kept falling from the other end, and India continued to tighten their grip in the game with spinner bowling in tandem. There was, however, a small partnership between Farhaan Behardien and AB de Villiers, but as Amit Mishra broke it that was it for South Africa.
AB de Villiers, meanwhile, was the lone man fighting for South Africa, and scored a fighting century, but his effort went in vain as India registered a clinical 35-run win to level the series, making the 5th ODI in Mumbai the series decider.
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