Follow our running blog with consolidated updates of each game in the SA vs IND ODI series 2023.

ODI #3 | Paarl

Oh, what a fightback with the bat!

Let’s be fair, the pitch at Boland Park was no batting paradise. However, once Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma arrived and got their eye in, there was a MEGA explosion of runs.

For Samson, the time seemed just right for a player who waited for an opportunity to redeem himself as he mixed aggression, precision and patience en route to his maiden ODI hundred. On the opposite end, our very own TV also had something to prove on the pitch and his knock of 52 in 77 balls was the apt answer. The 116-run partnership for the fourth wicket was what led the fightback from 101/3 in 18.5 overs to 217/4 in 41.2 overs.

Being the finisher he is, Rinku Singh’s 38 runs off 27 balls served as the finishing touch for India’s first-innings score of 296/8.

Indian bowlers spoil the party at Paarl

Given Tony de Zorzi’s form, South Africa appeared confident of pulling off the 297-run chase. But after his dismissal for 81, the hosts entered a downward spiral.

From 161/4 to 192/7 in less than overs, the Proteas were left bereft of any ideas to mount a comeback. The reason? They found themselves at the mercy of Arshdeep Singh (4/30), Washington Sundar (2/38) and Avesh Khan (2/45).

At 45.5 overs, India bowled out SA for 218 and would walk away with their second-ever ODI bilateral series win (2-1) in seven visits to the rainbow nation. Furthermore, the Men in Blue would end 2023 with 27 ODI wins, three short of Australia’s record of 30 ODI wins in 2003.

Brief scores: India 296/8 in 50 overs (Sanju Samson 108, Tilak Varma 52; Beuran Hendricks 3/63) BEAT South Africa 218 in 45.5 overs (Tony de Zorzi 89, Aiden Markram 36; Arshdeep Singh 4/30) by 78 runs.

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ODI #2 | Gqeberha

St. George’s Park has been a tough ground for India in ODIs, and their latest visit got off to an awry start as Ruturaj Gaikwad (4) and Tilak Varma (10) were troubled early on by Nandre Burger’s in-swingers.

But Sai Sudarshan (62) and skipper KL Rahul (56) took ownership of the batting. Their 68-run stand was the platter of the Men in Blue bouncing back from 46/2 to a potential score of 200-plus, and, the target was achieved thanks to the never-say-die cameo of Arshdeep Singh (18 runs in 17 balls) at the end. 

De Zorzi turns hero for the Proteas

After an early exhibition of his intent with the bat in the first ODI, Tony de Zorzi was the star on a tricky wicket in Gqeberha. While Reeza Hendricks left an impression of his own with his seventh ODI fifty (52), De Zorzi composed a strategic and positive maiden ODI century (119 not out off 122 balls) whilst facing the competitive Indian bowling attack.

The result: South Africa claimed an eight-wicket win and levelled the ODI series 1-1 to set up a delicious series decider at Paarl! 

Brief scores: South Africa 215/2 in 42.3 overs (Tony de Zorzi 119*, Reeza Hendricks 52; Arshdeep Singh 1/28) BEAT India 211 in 46.2 overs (Sai Sudarshan 62, KL Rahul 56; Nandre Burger 3/30) by eight wickets.

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ODI #1 | Johannesburg

Is the T20I series still on?

The opening game of the SA vs IND ODI series certainly seemed like a T20I match. Arshdeep Singh (5/37) and Avesh Khan (4/27) swept the Proteas away with their exquisite bowling spells.

Arshdeep, for one, was the chief architect of the bowling unit. The left-armer claimed four of his five wickets in the powerplay phase - Reeza Hendricks (overs 1.4), Rassie van der Dussen (overs 1.5), Tony de Zorzi (overs 7.5) and Heinrich Klaasen (overs 9.6). With his dismissal of Andile Phehlukwayo - who got SA past the 100-run mark, Arshdeep Singh became the first Indian pacer to register a five-wicket haul against South Africa in ODIs.

Avesh Khan, on his part, ensured he stayed toe-to-toe with his pace partner Arshdeep with the first four-wicket haul of his nascent ODI career.

Iyer, Sudarshan’s 50-50 approach to victorious run-chase

Alongside a seasoned campaigner in Shreyas Iyer (52 runs off 45 balls), debutant Sai Sudharshan showcased his credentials as a future opener for the Indian cricket team.

His performance: 55 runs (unbeaten) in 43 balls, nine boundary fours and a strike rate of 127.91. This reflects his hardworking exploits in the domestic scene for Tamil Nadu and a work ethic that earned him a contract with Surrey in August 2023.

Our very own TV - Tilak Varma - put the finishing touches to the eight-wicket triumph by hitting the winning run off Nandre Burger to hand SA a defeat with 200 balls to spare (second-biggest ODI defeat for South Africa in terms of balls remaining).

Brief scores: India 117/2 in 16.4 overs (Sai Sudarshan 55*, Shreyas Iyer 52; Andile Phehlukwayo 1/15) BEAT South Africa 116 in 27.3 overs (Andile Phehlukwayo 33, Tony de Zorzi 28; Arshdeep Singh 5/37) by eight wickets.