Kohli (again) exposes all the humiliated Proteas’ holes
The embarrassment of a 5-1 ODI series loss is complete as India plunge the home side into a deep crisis.
The sublime Virat Kohli has poked holes in the Proteas’ play in more than one regard. / AFP PHOTO / MARCO LONGARI
Virat Kohli has done a lot on this tour of South Africa, especially when it’s come to scoring runs.
The Proteas truly must be sick of the sight of the Indian skipper, who led his side to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory in Friday’s sixth and final ODI in Centurion.
More pertinently, it completed a humiliating 5-1 series series loss for the home side.
Yet Kohli’s attacking, brilliant innings of 129 off a mere 96 balls illustrated a disturbing hallmark of the Proteas’ play in this series: they don’t seem to know what they want to do.
Even in most times of crisis, coaches still insist their batting orders have a game-plan.
And, at least, one is supposed to see evidence of it.
If it’s all-out attack, a side in a slump will be dismissed for 180 in 30 overs.
If the approach is to be cautious, they’ll reach 245/7 in their allotted 50 overs.
The Proteas are nowhere.
Put in to bat, South Africa seemed much of the way that they were going to “wing it”.
Aiden Markram (24) and Hashim Amla (10) were out within the first 10 overs, with only 43 runs on the board.
The next pair, Khaya Zondo and AB de Villiers, took it upon themselves to be attacking.
For a period, it worked a treat as the run rate shifted up to over five per over.
Then, De Villiers (30) misread a Yuzvendra Chahal googly and was bowled.
All the Proteas’ momentum flew out of the window immediately.
They didn’t score a boundary for almost a quarter of an hour before Heinrich Klaasen (22) belatedly upped his temp with three fours.
But he found Kohli at short cover shortly afterwards.
Farhaan Behardien and Chris Morris played poor shots in trying to be more positive and that disease also eventually caught up with Zondo.
That said, the Dolphins captain deserves credit for his 54 off 74 balls, if only for it being a promising effort.
When he departed, the Proteas were stuck in that dreaded mode of survival which – ironically – was a game-plan executed quite well by Andile Phehlukwayo (34) and Morne Morkel (20).
204 all out, with reserve seamer Shardul Thakur grabbing 4/52 and Chahal and partner-in-crime Kuldeep Yadav sharing another three, was never going to be enough.
Kohli, who never relented with his calculated attack, made it look oh so easy.
He hit 19 fours and two sixes.
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