India vs South Africa 3rd T20I: Like champion sides, India find different ways to skin an opponent

Abhishek Sharma’s flicked first-ball six off Lungi Ngidi over fine leg proved prophetic. India comfortably strolled to the 119-run target set by the visitors with 25 balls and seven wickets to spare to take a 2-1 series lead into Lucknow in this five-game series. With it, there was an emphatic response to lingering doubts raised by the way they were hammered in Mullanpur a few days prior.

And what takeaways can India take as they build up to defend the T20 World Cup in six weeks, with just seven games left for preparation? For the most part, it is that with the breadth of talent they possess, they can come up with different ways to win in different conditions – an essential ability in the lottery that is usually T20 cricket – even when there is pressure of underperformance on their star individuals. This one was built on the backs of their bowlers.

The first innings saw a tight and consistent collective bowling effort from the hosts that made good use of the chilly conditions, even though dew was expected to play a big part right from the start on this ground that averages 15 sixes per match in T20 cricket.

That South Africa managed only four, three more came after Fereira’s efforts, by which time the match seemed to have gotten away from them, was instructive of how the conditions here caught the playing groups by surprise.

Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana’s new ball spell left them hobbling at 25 for 3 in the powerplay, and Hardik Pandya applying another push took them to 30 for 4 in the first seven.

There were a few laboured partnerships here and there, but the Indian bowlers’ squeeze was constant. Proteas skipper Aiden Markram, whose 46-ball 61 was the only South African score to cross 20, seemed to be waging an uphill battle all on his own for most of this match, complete with his stunning diving catch, running backwards for what felt like an age, to dismiss Abhishek in the second innings.

Nail in the coffin

Abhishek Sharma pretty much put India on their way despite their slowdown after 

And until then, it had been Abhishek who had, more or less, put the nail in the coffin with his typical early offensive. Such is the opener’s fine touch at the moment that even devilish conditions and outright pace from South Africa’s daunting-looking fast bowlers did not perturb him from going for, and finding, those attacking shots. He came down the ground to hit back-of-the-length balls on the up, cut anything that he found wide and a tad short, and timed any stray ball perfectly into gaps.

It was largely thanks to his efforts (35 from 18 balls) that India were up to 55 in the run chase by the start of the fifth over, and were 68 for 1 at the close of the powerplay even though he lost his own wicket. From there, India could afford to take their time and make sure there were no late twists, slowing down to ensure victory.

An easy run chase, especially when set so well early on, may have been a good chance for some of India’s batting stars to get easy runs. Shubman Gill did contribute, with a run-a-ball 28 that was appropriate pacing considering the match situation. But it was hardly chanceless; early on, several testing balls off a length hit or missed his edge, and he narrowly escaped a second successive golden duck after a fine-inside edge overturned the umpire’s decision of holding him out from an in-swinging Marco Jansen delivery, exactly the kind of ball that tests him often.

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, also desperately seeking runs, also did not inspire much confidence with his 11-ball 12, despite hitting a couple of boundaries. The two batters may well be seeking the spiritually enlightened zen that wafts through nearby McLeodganj in order to shut out the noise, but nothing could buy them more time from criticism like a straightforward victory. They have their teammates to thank for delivering it to them on Sunday.