IND vs SA 2nd ODI: Gambhir Eyes Big Changes After Ranchi Shockers
After Ranchi ODI, India won by 17 runs but three players struggled. Gambhir may make changes for Raipur ODI. Kohli and Rohit starred in high-scoring clash.
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India managed to take victory over South Africa by 17 runs in the first ODI at Ranchi, but not all Indian players lived up to their expectations. As a result of the very high scoring match that produced 681 runs in total, the head coach Gautam Gambhir is speculated to make changes for the second ODI to be held in Raipur, because three Indian players were not able to perform well either with bat or ball.
It was clear from the scores that the batting had the upper hand on the Ranchi pitch and the batsmen could conquer easily. First, Kohli scored 135, which was also the 52nd ODI century of his career, and Rohit Sharma played well by making a contribution of 57 runs. The total of 349 runs that was set up by India was rather challenging for South Africa as they could only make 332 runs in their turn. However, the performances of some players were still the major concern for the management of the team.
Ruturaj Gaikwad was the biggest non-fulfiller among all. On such a “chef’s choice” type of batting surface, he could score merely 8 runs from 14 balls, not even managing to rotate strikes or taking scoring chances at all. His failure to deliver on the ideal batting surface with the ideal technique has made his selection doubtful next to the ODI in Raipur.
Washington Sundar who was anticipated to shine as an all-rounder also went under. He was able to get 13 runs out of 19 balls and bowled three overs giving 18 runs and without taking any wicket. His little involvement in such a run feast has further weakened his contention for being the next match.
Pacer Paridhi Krishna was the one who also showed inconsistency with his bowling performance. He had the one wicket to his name but on the other side, he pulled the figures of 48 runs in 7.2 over, which let South Africa's spirits stay high and at certain times creates pressure on the senior bowlers. His lack of control during the crucial stages of the innings might be one of the reasons for Gambhir's not taking a chance on him at Raipur.
It is said that coach Gambhir is looking at the possibility of making all three changes in the playing XI to cover up for the above-mentioned deficiencies. The management’s objective is to fortify India’s batting line-up for the second ODI and at the same time to make the pitch support both the batting and bowling departments through better balance and consistency.
The game won by India in Ranchi showcased the dominance of their top-order batsmen as Kohli and Sharma put up a solid base. Nevertheless, the inconsistency from some important players points to the continuing difficulties in selection for the team prior to the following match.
