Quinton de Kock may have quit Test cricket in a huff, and his batting in the first ODI seemed to have been affected by the sudden exit, but all that changed in the second ODI.
An attacking 66-ball 78 brought de Kock back on track. The 29-year-old continued his form in the final one-dayer in Cape Town on Sunday, smashing his sixth century against India and 17th overall.
De Kock’s sublime 124 (off 130b; 12×4, 2×6) laid the platform for South Africa’s eventual total of 287, which proved to be four runs more than what India could manage. The win meant an emphatic 3-0 clean sweep for the hosts.
At one stage, things looked grim for India but Deepak Chahar (54 off 34b; 5×4, 2×6) and Jasprit Bumrah almost pulled it off with an exhilarating 55-run partnership. Chahar brought India back to life from an almost dead situation with some daredevil strokeplay, after the team was staring at defeat at 223/7.
Chahar, for the second time in his short international career, showed his genuine batting ability and almost got India home. But a miscue off Lungi Ngidi in the 48th over ended his stay at the crease and India’s chase came unstuck in the ensuing overs.
Along with Shardul, Chahar has thrown his hat into the all-rounder’s cauldron that Team India is looking for.
Before Chahar’s heroics, Shikhar Dhawan (61 off 73b; 5×4, 1×6) carried on his good form, and in the company of Virat Kohli (65 off 84b; 5×4) added 98 runs for the second wicket, which raised India’s chances of a win. But a double strike in the 23rd over by Andile Phehlukwayo, which saw Dhawan and Rishabh Pant return to the pavilion, derailed India’s chase.
Kohli getting out tamely off Keshav Maharaj’s bowling a few overs later further reduced the odds. De Kock averages 63.31 against India in ODIs, and Sunday was a testimony to why he loves the Indian attack.
He first negotiated the new ball when Deepak Chahar and Jasprit Bumrah were in their elements. As the ball stopped swinging, de Kock went on the offensive.
There were rasping cover drives, disdainful pull shots and a ferocious slog sweep.
Chahar, who had dismissed de Kock’s opening partner Janneman Malan with a beautiful out-swinger and then got the better of Aiden Markram, was given a hiding in his second spell. Prasidh Krishna and off-spinner Jayant Yadav were not spared the rod either.
Despite his team losing three wickets with just 70 runs on the board, de Kock kept upping the ante and found an able partner in Rassie van der Dussen (52 off 59b; 4×4, 1×6). The pair added 144 runs for the fourth wicket and got South Africa into the pole position during the middle overs.
Just like the first two ODIs, Indian spinners were ineffective — neither picked wickets nor could keep a check on the run flow.
Unlike the 2018 South Africa tour, when he had Kuldeep Yadav for company at the other end, Yuzvendra Chahal couldn’t prise open the Proteas batsmen.
Bumrah had de Kock holing out at the deep square leg fence, and it made sure South Africa didn’t cross 300.
Van der Dussen and Andile Phehlukwayo also didn’t last long and South Africa slumped to 228/6. But David Miller 39 (38b; 3×4, 1×6) and Dwaine Pretorius 20 ( 25b) took South Africa past 280.
It proved just enough.