India-South Africa series: Winner takes all

This is the moment of truth for India. They have held their heads high in South Africa, surprising the world, opposition and even their fans with their fighting spirit. Now they need to have a one final go. One collective push at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday and India could be rewriting record books. History beckons the Indians, the defeat at Port Elizabeth on Friday night notwithstanding, 

India have never won a series in South Africa — neither in Tests nor in ODIs. Now they are in the cusp of making that happen. The experience of Test series should come handy — South Africa had escaped with a draw in the five-day games. They should not be allowed an escape route on Sunday.

Beating South Africa at home is not easy but the teams have done this before. If Australia and England managed this, India can very much do this. Sure, it is difficult but not impossible. This Indian side is known to convert the biggest of challenges into bigger opportunities.

India are the No 2 team in ODIs but few would dispute to their claims of being the best side in the world. With the ODI series tantalisingly poised at 2-2, India will have show to the world that of what stuff they are made of.

While Port Elizabeth has shown the frailties of Indian batting order, it should be said that the visitors are missing their top-three batsmen, who are out injured. But the likes of captain MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli are no pushovers either and add Yusuf Pathan to the equation, then the Indian side does look formidable.

The problem for Dhoni has been that as strong as the team looks on the paper, they have not really performed on the field. However, Dhoni would be hoping to sort out his team’s batting woes as they regroup and go into the final one-dayer.

Much-stronger Indian teams have come here to establish their cricketing domination, but have been vanquished. If this team pulls off a series win, it would be ironical though pleasant, as it possibly would be the most unlikely of teams to achieve this feat.

The way this series stands, tied at 2-2, no team is giving each other an inch. The South Africans are not going to be cowed down and will be expected to fight back as they showed in their 48-run win via Duckworth and Lewis method in the fourth ODI.

Dhoni, after the win in the third ODI, had tried to get under the skin of South Africans by using the word his opponents probably hate the most—Chokers!

The way the hosts played in the fourth match, it seems like Dhoni’s comments have spurred them on. However, there is no denying that the pressure would be on the Proteas to erase the ‘chokers’ tag in the virtual final of the series.

For Indians too, the writing is clear. It is their batting that has let them down. Their fragile middle-order stands exposed and at the top, Rohit Sharma and Parthiv Patel, don’t look that solid.
On the brighter side, Virat Kohli’s brilliant run with the bat continues and he is easily the stand-out performer of his team.

Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj, Dhoni have all done well in pieces but the Delhi youngster has got his bearings right consistently.

It is difficult for makeshift openers Patel and Sharma to click right away against the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. The blame falls squarely on the experienced middle-order that has failed to capitalise on starts and that has become the team’s weak link.

“It’s (Kohli’s batting) a big positive for us. It’s good for us at number three. He has carried through the innings but the other batsmen also need to chip in. The middle-order has not clicked,” Dhoni said on the eve of the fifth match.

Dhoni would be largely happy with his bowlers, who defended a low total of 190 in the second match. What would be worrying the India captain is the way his frontline bowlers proved expensive in the previous game. Barring Nehra, the lead bowlers failed to make inroads into the opponents’ line-up.

Dhoni, however, has been well served by his part-time bowlers. Raina, Pathan, Yuvraj and Sharma have taken care of those nagging middle overs and have been a big relief for the wicketkeeper captain.

The South Africans, too, are not devoid of their share of problems and in the absence of Jacques Kallis, there appears to be a sort of imbalance in the team. But like they showed on Friday, they are willing to fight it out.

With the World Cup looming large, Dhoni would be eager to pocket the series and also see the youngsters do well in hostile conditions of South African tracks.

The battle lines are drawn. Arguably the two best teams will clash for different purposes. Proteas captain Graeme Smith would be eager to bury the ‘chokers’ tag before the World Cup and Dhoni would want to add a ODI series win in South Africa to his flattering resume.

“It (final match) will be interesting,” Dhoni said. “The team that handles pressure better will win.”