Player of the Match
Player of the Match

De Villiers: They pulled it off across the line, credit to India. The target was manageable and a poor batting performance from us. We couldn't extend it after the opening partnership and we have the experience. You have to stay positive no matter what total you are chasing, we couldn't execute well. Very good performance from out bowlers, would have loved to chase something like 200. Nothing too serious about my back, just pulled my lower back a bit and should be fit for the next match.

Dhoni also the Man of the Match: Not an easy game played, a lot of people wait with open swords and want you to make mistakes. We should have got more with the bats and we didn't start well with our bowling but our spinners did well and pacers also came into action later on. Overall not a very convincing win but good win, we can play a lot better. We're not playing to our capacity, not even 80%, in batting or bowling. As a complete batting unit we didn't perform well but we bounced back well. We knew we needed two good deliveries when Tahir and Rabada were batting. I won't say the game was in our hands but we had a good chance if we bowled in the right areas and needed only two good deliveries. It doesn't always go your way (talking about his batting), the top order has been scoring loads of runs in the last 2-2.5 years so lower order doesn't get a big chance to bat. Apart from Suresh there's nobody who loves to do that kind of a job when you go out and you just have to go for the big hits. The pace was very important on this wicket and the length too. Axar is not a big turner of the ball and he pitched it in the right areas. Bhajji has the experience and they didn't try too many different things and flighting or under-flighting the ball was needed and overall they did a good job.

Phew! Dhoni spoke the way he batted a bit today, as if he was waiting to let out. That's all we have from the coverage of the second ODI. The series is level 1-1 and what more could you ask for. Do join us for the third match on the 18th, that's in Rajkot. Until then, goodbye and good luck from Vishal and Nikhil. Ciao!

8.45pm What a turnaround in the match from India! They were 124 for 6 at one point and an out of form Dhoni in the middle. He put together an unbeaten 92 and then the India bowlers, much criticised for not defending very well, bowl SA out for 225. Dhoni knew it had to be spin to put them in trouble and brought them on early on. The spinners not only took wickets but kept the pressure on...

Harbhajan: "Dhoni was fantastic with his captaincy. The wicket was nice to bat on and the ball was turning only when you bowled it slower. Here and there a few sixes went but we kept the pressure on and Axar took two crucial wickets. We felt we were 30 runs short and Dhoni said in the huddle that if we kept the energy up and saved 25-odd runs we could do it."

Baba Fasi: "I hope this will put Dhoni's critics to rest, at least for some time now.."

Nalsar: "SA gift the match to india. Poor decision by indian umpire!"

Ravi: "What a fantastic series this is turning out to be. Better for fans of cricket. "

43.4
W
Kumar to Morkel, OUT, edged again, taken with both hands by Raina at slip, India have won, Indore erupts! There was some room outside off and MM wanted to force it through the off side. He got a thick edge and Raina caught it over his head at slip

M Morkel c Raina b Kumar 4 (1m 2b 1x4 0x6) SR: 200.00

43.3
4
Kumar to Morkel, FOUR, just short of length and MM punches it down the ground, Dhawan dives to his left from mid-off but can't get to it. That's four!

Only one wicket, and 27 runs...here's Morne Morkel

43.2
W
Kumar to Imran Tahir, OUT, outside edge this time, there was a sound and this time it goes to Dhoni, he leaps and throws the ball high! It wasn't too wide outside off, Tahir pushed at it without moving his feet and got a faint edge

Imran Tahir c †Dhoni b Kumar 9 (17m 12b 0x4 1x6) SR: 75.00

43.1
0
Kumar to Imran Tahir, no run, Tahir tries to cut it outside off and gets an inside edge close to the stumps and it goes to Dhoni

Under 30 to get now, this is getting tight with only two wickets. Harbhajan and Axar are done with their overs, so only pace left unless MSD goes back to Raina. Bhuvneshwar continues...

END OF OVER:
43 | 8 Runs | SA: 221/8 (27 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 5.13, RRR: 3.85)

  • Kagiso Rabada19 (23b)
  • Imran Tahir9 (10b)
  • Umesh Yadav8-0-52-1
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar8-0-37-1
42.6
0
Yadav to Rabada, no run, on length on the stumps now, he defends it back easily

Nes: "Rabada only 20 years of age. What composure and the likely MoM. "

42.5
4
Yadav to Rabada, FOUR, too short on the leg side, Rabada pulls it late and gets some glove on that to send it fine on the leg side for four more!
42.4
0
Yadav to Rabada, no run, length delivery around off and he turns it to mid-on. Tahir wants one but is sent back just in time

Mid off goes to wide long off

42.3
4
Yadav to Rabada, FOUR, slightly short and wide outside off, Rabada takes a tiny step forward and slashes that over the covers and in the gap for four
42.2
0
Yadav to Rabada, no run, on the pads from Umesh and it's tucked to midwicket

No slips anymore for Rabada

42.1
0
Yadav to Rabada, no run, short of length outside off and Rabada swings and misses

END OF OVER:
42 | 3 Runs | SA: 213/8 (35 runs required from 48 balls, RR: 5.07, RRR: 4.37)

  • Imran Tahir9 (10b)
  • Kagiso Rabada11 (17b)
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar8-0-37-1
  • Umesh Yadav7-0-44-1
41.6
0
Kumar to Imran Tahir, no run, not too wide outside off and the drive is mistimed a bit to find cover
41.5
1
Kumar to Rabada, 1 run, on the pads now and it's tucked away easily wide of midwicket for one
41.4
1
Kumar to Imran Tahir, 1 run, Tahir gets room outside off and he flays it off the back foot between point and cover point for one
41.3
1
Kumar to Rabada, 1 run, shorter on middle and leg, tucked towards midwicket for a quick single

Dhoni levels with Kohli

20

Man-of-the-Match awards for Dhoni in ODIs, exactly as many as Virat Kohli's tally

Dhoni v the rest

107

Dhoni's strike rate (92 off 86). The other Indian batsmen had a collective strike rate of 66 (142 off 215)

Uphill for India

4-16

India's win-loss record in home ODIs when they've batted first and lost their first six wickets for 150 or less

Kohli's ODI slump

27

Kohli's average in his last 12 ODI innings, with a highest of 46. He had never previously gone more than 7 innings without a fifty

All or nothing

3

Number of single-digit scores for Rohit in his last 5 ODI innings at home. In his other two innings he scored 264 and 150

Indian fortress

3-0

India's ODI record at this venue; two of the three wins came when India batted first