***Official***Match #37- India vs South Africa - November 5th - Kolkata

[BazBall21]

I would be pleasantly surprised if South Africa make 250.

 

[honestbharani]

While this is a very good total and should be enough on this pitch and certainly with India’s attack - they definitely could have gotten about 25 more here.

Dont think you saw much of the game then.

 

[OverratedSanity]

India's balls should be checked for springs

 

[BazBall21]

India's bowling is relentless and SA's batting is good but a touch FTB.

 

[White Ball]

Reckon Bachman may slow South Africa down here

 

[Andyhere]

India's balls should be checked for springs

Balls with spring don't swing

 

[honestbharani]

Ha, I thought the scorecard was confusingly conservative. Kohli wanting the milestone century is so much more convincing as an explanation than India’s long tail.

Yeah but we went conservative/slow last game too and honestly, I think both are because we have 4 #11s. We will be lucky to win anything with that tail tbh.

 

[MW1304]

I think HB is right that Kohli's role here was defined more by the long tail than trying to ton up. The advantage of having good lower order bats often isn't actually the fact that they make runs but that they can free up the top order more - this is part of why I think SA suck chasing.

But Kohli having a history of quite clearly fudging things for arbitrary milestones when it doesn't matter means he's going to be accused of doing it when it does matter too. Even when he isn't.

He was knocking singles around in the 48th over when in the 90s. It's not even really up for debate that he slowed down for his hundred. Again it likely makes no difference but surely everyone watching it could see this right? And it's not the most egregious example of India doing this, but yes it's a pattern, and one he continued here.

I'd love for it to happen in a key game when the opposition chase down the total with a few balls left and see what people say then, but it's probably not going to come to that is it.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

This is funny that people blaming kohli for that knock. It seems he needed to slog knowing he’d get out on this slower pitch

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

This is funny that people blaming kohli for that knock. It seems he needed to slog knowing he’d get out on this slower pitch

They just need a reason to blame Kohli, whether it makes sense or not

 

[ma1978]

Seriously, no one blaming SA for their slow start now,

 

[loterry1994]

Lol Kohlis far from a selfish player. A selfish player in the same situation after losing the openers early would come in try whack it around early make a quick 10-20 hole out then expose the rest of the order to the last 35 overs and have them try rebuild the innings again

he took the main responsibility of the innings when Rabada and the spinners came on in the middle overs and the pitch was looking it’s toughest to bat on and didn’t expose the other batters to it earlier

 

[Adorable Asshole]

Seriously, no one blaming SA for their slow start now,

I'm blaming Bumrah and Siraj

 

[ma1978]

Tall poppy syndrome for Kohli. This is not an easy pitch to bat on.

 

[Andyhere]

Seriously, no one blaming SA for their slow start now,

They are trying to keep wickets in hand, hoping for dew

 

[MW1304]

Haha I have nothing against Kohli, IMO he's undeniably the greatest ODI player. But can anyone tell me with a straight face that knocking the ball around in the 48th over is trying to get your team the highest score possible in that situation? It just isn't.

 

[Andyhere]

Lol Kohlis far from a selfish player. A selfish player in the same situation after losing the openers early would come in try whack it around early make a quick 10-20 hole out then expose the rest of the order to the last 35 overs and have them try rebuild the innings again

That is a definition of a dumb player not selfish.

 

[honestbharani]

Haha I have nothing against Kohli, IMO he's undeniably the greatest ODI player. But can anyone tell me with a straight face that knocking the ball around in the 48th over is trying to get your team the highest score possible in that situation? It just isn't.

I think he should have accelerated more but given our last 4 are #11s, you really cant count anything out. Those 4 cant even get the 1s that a regular batter can.

 

[Andyhere]

Haha I have nothing against Kohli, IMO he's undeniably the greatest ODI player. But can anyone tell me with a straight face that knocking the ball around in the 48th over is trying to get your team the highest score possible in that situation? It just isn't.

Exactly!

 

[Andyhere]

I think he should have accelerated more but given our last 4 are #11s, you really cant count anything out. Those 4 cant even get the 1s that a regular batter can.

Yes they can bat, two of those have test half century