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In cricket, you can combat the conditions to a limited
degree. Despite having just seven wickets between them going into the first ODI
of the series, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan knocked South
Africa out for 116 in conditions that featured swing, seam, and inconsistent
bounce.
You would hope for even conditions that don’t alter
significantly during the match when the action shifts to Gqeberha for a
day-night encounter. Although Gqeberha hasn’t hosted an ODI in over four years,
the venue hasn’t received great marks either. Twelve years and eight ODIs have
passed without a 300. India will want to finish the series there because it is
often the slowest and lowest surface among popular South African sites.
From the fresh talent that has surfaced during the
limited-overs portion of the tour, there’s much to be excited about. Sai
Sudharsan made an impressive fifty on his debut, and Nandre Burger impressed
with his steady speed and movement.
It has taken Reeza Hendricks two matches to bat a ball
in the opening over. To be fair, in both the first ODI and the final T20I in
Johannesburg, Hendricks found himself up against some sharp seam bowling and a
moving ball. Both of his innings ended in loose shots after he had been playing
and missing so much. He’ll want to provide a more positive picture of himself.
In a brief chase, Sai Sudharsan displayed on debut why
his senior colleagues have been going gaga over him. The bowlers will now come
back with their homework done, and will hop to present him a more challenging
match situation.