AB maybe the man to turn the tide

After the South African cricket team were thumped by India in Cape Town on Wednesday evening, there’s the very real prospect the Proteas could lose the one-day international series 6-0.

After winning the first two Tests against India to claim the three-match series, South Africa lost the final match on a tricky Wanderers pitch and then have been beaten by six wickets, nine wickets and 124 runs in the first three matches of the limited overs series.

They’ve simply lost momentum – and the Indians, led by the success-driven captain Virat Kohli, smell blood.

It doesn’t help that the home side lost captain Faf du Plessis, wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and talisman AB de Villiers to injury, but setbacks aside, the Proteas have simply been poor.

They haven’t been able to read the Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal – who have accounted for 21 of the 28 Proteas wickets that have fallen in the series.

Proteas fans will be hoping the return of De Villiers for the “pink match” at the Wanderers tomorrow will turn the team’s fortunes around.

South Africa, in five attempts, have never lost the charity fixture at the Wanderers, and will be hoping that trend continues.

And with a wonderful ODI average at the Wanderers and an even better one in the pink match, De Villiers could just be that man to turn the tide.

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