South Africa snapped India’s 12-match unbeaten streak at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, handing the defending champions a 76-run defeat in Ahmedabad. Shaun Pollock and Sunil Gavaskar explained how South Africa overcame their opposition, India’s approach during the Powerplay and also suggested Axar Patel’s inclusion over Washington Sundar for India’s next match against Zimbabwe.
Shaun Pollock explained the approach of both teams:
“India didn’t adapt well to the conditions in Ahmedabad. South Africa had played three matches here already, so they knew what to expect. Yes, they struggled at first when they lost the wickets of Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton early, but they did not stop adjusting as per the conditions. It was only when Brevis and Miller batted together that things worked for them. Tristan Stubbs put his batting power to good use in the end to help South Africa reach 187. India’s chase would have been simple had they played carefully in the beginning. The first six overs was the toughest because the ball wasn’t coming onto the bat nicely. Instead, they went after the bowlers from the very first over. You can’t do that on this kind of a pitch while chasing a big total. They lost two early wickets and were under pressure right away. Sometimes, you have to be smart and patient. India didn’t change their approach. They didn’t realise that the new ball would be the biggest challenge with the seam moving around.”
Sunil Gavaskar highlighted where India went wrong:
“When you look at how Dewald Brevis and David Miller repaired the South African innings, they played shots more in the V. When the bouncers were bowled, they countered them intelligently because they realized that the ball was not coming onto the bat quickly. Having seen how Brevis and Miller built their partnership, that was the approach needed from the Indian batters. But India did not take notes from South Africa’s innings. They came out and threw their bat at every delivery hoping for a boundary. That is not how you play T20 cricket. You have to learn from the opposition. If they have scored well on a tricky surface like this, you have to get rid of your ego, observe and adjust. The Indian batters did not do that. They came out with overconfidence, threw their bat at everything and lost wickets. South Africa clearly outsmarted India and it was a well-deserved win for them.”
On Tilak Varma’s missed opportunity to anchor India’s innings:
“Tilak Varma has been a very street-smart batter. But I was disappointed with his approach in this game. Ishan Kishan lost his wicket in the first over. The required rate was around 9.5 runs per over, not 15. So, Tilak could have given himself more time. At the other end, Abhishek Sharma had back-to-back ducks. So, the responsibility was on Tilak to stick around, build a partnership, and get past the first six overs, but he failed to do that. You don’t always need to score 70 runs in the Powerplay. Even 55-60 runs would have been a good platform. But the reckless approach of the Indian batters led to their downfall in Ahmedabad.”
On how Miller and Brevis outsmarted India’s bowlers:
“The partnership between David Miller and Dewald Brevis was tremendous. They made the Indian bowlers run out of wicket-taking ideas. When that happened, Indian bowlers were just hoping that Miller and Brevis would miss a ball and give their wickets away, but they didn’t do that. They took calculated risks and attacked the right balls. Miller showcased the attacking intent from his first over, hitting two straight boundaries. Even after three wickets fell in the Powerplay, South Africa stayed positive. Those shots which Miller played with a straight bat were low risk, high reward. He knows Ahmedabad well from his IPL time with Gujarat Titans. He used all of that IPL experience to stabilize the innings. Brevis impressed me even more. He didn’t try to match Miller’s sixes. He kept his ego aside, took singles, and hit the occasional boundary. Young players often want to copy seniors, but Brevis showed maturity. That partnership is why India couldn’t keep South Africa to a score of 150-160.”
On changes India should make against Zimbabwe:
“I would look at bringing Axar Patel back into the playing XI, keeping in mind the lack of too many left-handed batters in Zimbabwe’s line-up. You could possibly bring him in place of Arshdeep Singh. But Arshdeep bowled so well against South Africa and you wouldn’t want to change somebody who looked in such good rhythm. So, maybe they might not make a change and go with the same team. But I feel Washington Sundar will be the one to miss out. He is not being used properly. Against South Africa, he bowled just two overs and did nothing with the bat. Against Netherlands, he bowled four overs but took no wickets. I think the time has run out for Washington Sundar. Axar Patel will surely replace him.”
