Virat Kohli’s decision to bat first after winning the toss on a flat track at Bengaluru in the third and final T20I against South Africa so he could push his team out of their “comfort zones” backfired as the Men in Blue went down by nine wickets. The Indian innings was a tale of two halves, as the hosts got off to a cracking start in the first ten overs, but lost the plot later on as they could only score 134. The first ten overs saw India score 76 runs, but the Proteas made a strong comeback, giving away just 58 runs in the last ten overs whilst also picking six wickets to eventually restrict the Indians to 134 for nine.
Skipper Quinton de Kock then led South Africa’s run chase, as he made an unbeaten 79 in 52 balls with the help of five sixes and six fours. He was involved in two fifty-plus stands – first with Reeza Hendricks and then with Temba Bavuma as the visitors got to the total in just the 17th over to draw the series.
Deepak Chahar and Washinton Sundar began on a good note with the ball, with the seamer finding movement and swing, and the offie bowling tight lines. However, the introduction of Navdeep Saini allowed the rivals to break the shackles, with de Kock hitting the pacer for two sixes in his first over to reduce the pressure.
The bowlers soon started giving easy deliveries, and the openers took full advantage, taking 43 runs in the first six overs. India also lost a review, when Chahar convinced his skipper to take the DRS. Reviews showed that the ball would have missed the stumps by a big margin. India paid the price in the very next over, when Sundar trapped de Kock in front after the left-hander missed a sweep. The appeal was turned down by the umpire, but reviews showed that de Kock would have been out.
He did not let go of his second chance, as de Kock regularly started sending the balls away for fours, with the wet ball further making life difficult for the Indian spinners. By the 10th over, South Africa were well on course, needing only 76 runs in their remaining overs. India would have hoped they had come back in the game after Hendricks was sent back attempting to pull a Hardik Pandya delivery, however, de Kock then combined with Bavuma to take his team over the line. He got his second straight fifty in only 38 balls.
Earlier, South Africa started the proceedings by introducing left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin in the very first over, only to see Shikhar Dhawan greet him with a four off the first ball. Kagiso Rabada, the next bowler, had an off day, as he conceded seven wides down the leg-side in his spell. He was also hit for two boundaries by Rohit Sharma, who overtook Kohli as the leading run-getter in T20Is – but only momentarily, as the captain later overtook the opener.
Rohit was soon sent back by left-arm pacer Beuran Hendricks, but that hardly hampered the Indian duo of Kohli and Dhawan, as they kept going for their shots. Kohli carved Andile Phehlukwayo over the ropes, while Dhawan hit two consecutive fours, and then greeted Tabraiz Shamsi with two straight sixes, as India got 54 in the first six overs.
However, South Africa soon applied the brakes, as first Dhawan was sent back by Shamsi as he miscued one and Bavuma took a good catch. Kohli too fell after Phehlukwayo took a good running catch at the ropes. Under-pressure Rishabh Pant played uncharacteristically but could not grasp onto his chances as he was out miscuing a loft. Shreyas Iyer was stumped off Fortuin to leave India tottering at 92 for 5.
Four wickets fell for only 29 runs, and the pressure was on the all-rounders to make a mark. However, Krunal Pandya failed to fire, getting caught behind off the bowling of Beuran, who gave away just 14 runs in his 4 overs. Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya found the going tough as well, with the Proteas bowlers bowling stump-to-stump. Three wickets fell in the final over of the Indian innings, as India finished with a below-par target. India’s issues while batting first, thus, continue to grow, and it remains a major area of concern heading into next year’s T20 World Cup.