Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad witnessed a shocking collapse as India fell short in their very first Super League match, echoing Sri Lanka’s earlier blunder against England while chasing a modest total.
The Indian team looked vulnerable in both bowling and batting. Aimless bowling allowed South Africa to post a competitive 188, despite an early scare when they were reduced to 20/3. Hats off to Jasprit Bumrah, who once again delivered with brilliance, conceding only 7 runs in his first spell and 8 in the second. Arshdeep Singh bowled decently, but the other bowlers faltered spectacularly. Varun Aaron’s line was erratic, Hardik Pandya lost his composure, and Dubey was ineffective. Washington Sundar’s role remained puzzling, while the absence of Kuldeep Yadav was keenly felt.
The batting started disastrously with Ishan Kishan departing for a duck in the first over. Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Verma tried to stabilize the innings, but momentum never returned. Abhishek broke the zero with a boundary off his first ball but looked unsettled and in need of guidance. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad started aggressively but couldn’t maintain the required run rate as South African bowlers executed a disciplined plan. The loss of Ishan Kishan early gave South Africa full control.
For the next two matches, it is essential to include Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja to strengthen both batting and bowling. At the moment, India’s performance raises serious questions—do we really look like World Cup champions?
