Dhawan hits ton, Kohli makes merry
SMOOTH RUN Opener’s 13th century, Virat’s super form puts India on top in Pink Ball ODI before rain intervenes
JOHANNESBURG: For the first time in the series, South African fans out-screamed the Indians, creating such a noise after every wicket and boundary that it was hard to believe that the team is going through hard times against India in these encounters.
The Pink Day ODI holds a special place in South African cricket. Held for breast cancer patients, it is a game the hosts, who play dressed in pink, have never lost before this. The vibes coming from fans were so positive that the Proteas managed to put up some kind of a fight by first restricting the rampaging Indians to below 300 and then getting off to a decent start before rain stopped play.
At the time of going to press, South Africa were 43/1 in 7.2 overs, just two runs short of the Duckworth-Lewis par score. Captain Aiden Markram, who began well, was out for 22, leg before to Jasprit Bumrah just before the rain break.
STRONG START
India had begun well with both Kohli (75 off 83 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (109 off 105 balls) continuing from where they left in the third ODI at Cape Town, stringing together a 158-run partnership to ensure a solid start even after the visitors had lost Rohit Sharma early again.
While Dhawan had thrown his wicket away just when he looked good for a century at Cape Town, this time he ensured he got his 13th ODI century, third against South Africa. He survived plenty of inside edges that somehow missed the stumps and went to the fine leg fence.
The Wanderers wicket had bounce, something the hosts wanted but both Kohli and Dhawan went about milking runs at will, collecting singles and getting boundaries whenever the bowlers erred in line even one bit.
There were some close calls as the ball went past the bat in Lungi Ngidi’s initial overs. Barring that the Indian batting duo looked in control with Kohli producing the shot of the day --- an elevating straight drive directly into the stands, and then staying frozen for a while in the follow through.
Dhawan was sublime and edgy almost at one time. An example of that was when he was closing in on his century. He was beaten by a Rabada beauty but flicked the next one to midwicket for six to get to 98. In the next over, a straight drive got him to his century.
However, Dhawan fell soon after players returned to the field following a break caused by thunder and lightning. Kohli had been dismissed on the other side of the break. There was a lull in India innings towards the end as the Proteas got three more wickets --- Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya, caught off a blinder by Aiden Markram at cover.
Dhoni (42* off 43 balls) though hung around to take the team past 280, a rasping cover drive off Chris Morris in the last over, the highlight of his stay.