Rajkot, Oct 17:
High on confidence after levelling the series, a resurgent India will look to capitalise on their return to winning ways when they take on the formidable South Africa in the crucial third ODI cricket match here tomorrow from 1.30 pm.
The splendid 22-run victory in Indore on October 14 was a shot-in-the-arm for not only the team but also under-fire captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni after they lost the series opener at Green Park.
The Ranchi star, whose very place in the eleven has been questioned by some former cricketers, answered his critics with match-winning 92 not out, his 16th fifty as captain, which pulled the squad out of a rut and placed it with a fighting total in hand.
Dhoni’s pyrotechnics, by rolling back the years to be at his pristine best, was backed up by some excellent spin bowling by Axar Patel and Harbhajan Singh, who was drafted into the squad as cover for the injured Ravichandran Ashwin.
The confidence of the Indians would have been uplifted by this come-from-behind victory after they were struggling at 124 for 6 around the 30-over mark before posting a challenging score of 247, thanks in the main to Dhoni’s blazing 86-ball knock that contained 4 sixes and 7 fours.(PTI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel