JOHANNESBURG: Virat Kohli and India’s team management will not lose too much sleep over the defeat in Johannesburg that kept South Africa alive in the six-match series. Everything that could possibly go wrong, starting with the weather, did go wrong and Kohli will know that his side are unlikely to be as sloppy again.
But after three straight wins where they were far too good for their hosts, the Wanderers defeat gave India a glimpse at some of the weaknesses that could derail what is certain to be a strong World Cup campaign in the English summer of 2019. Kohli is the most accomplished ODI batsman in the world, and has been getting strong support from the opening combination of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, despite the latter’s struggles in South Africa.
The new-ball duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah promise both wickets and control, and the spin combination of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal has been instrumental in the Indian dominance in South Africa. But with just over 15 months to go until the World Cup, the middle order remains a major headache, and defeat to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final last June showed just why India can’t bank on the peerless Kohli every time.
In Johannesburg, they were first stymied by the rain. Cruising at 200 for 2 when they had to go off, India added just 89 for 5 in the 15.4 overs bowled on resumption. With the ball, they had South Africa on the precipice at 106 for 4, only for David Miller to be reprieved twice in an over – first, a dropped catch from Shreyas Iyer at square leg, and then Chahal overstepping as he slipped a beautiful leg break through the batsman’s defense.
Miller, and the outstanding Heinrich Klaasen — playing only his second game in place of the injured and out-of-form Quinton de Kock — duly made India pay, with the spinners taking a pounding as they struggled to grip the wet ball. “It basically became a T20 game,” said Kohli afterwards. “We did not grab our chances, so we did not deserve to win.”
Leg-spinner Chahal and left-arm googly bowler Kuldeep, who had tormented South Africa to the tune of 21 wickets in the first three games, went for 119 off the 11.3 overs they bowled. They will not be anything like as charitable with a dry ball in hand.
But a cursory look at the numbers since the last World Cup tell you exactly which soft spots India need to address. Kohli has scored 2,859 runs at 84.08 in that time. Rohit (2,244 runs) and Dhawan (1,802) also average over 50, while matching Kohli’s strike-rate of nearly a run a ball. So far, so very good. But what follows does not match the entrees.
Of the middle-order batsmen, only MS Dhoni has aggregated over a thousand (1,455) and his strike-rate of 84.29 tells you that he needs time to play himself in. Kedar Jadhav (778) is next on the list, but has gone off the boil a little of late. Hardik Pandya has not crossed 30 in eight innings since he lit up the home series against Australia last September.
Manish Pandey, after announcing himself with a sublime match-winning century in Sydney two years ago, has found consistency a problem, while Ajinkya Rahane has played his best innings as opener. The solution could well be to move Dhoni to No. 4 and give him time to build an innings. From No. 6, he takes far too much time to find his rhythm.
The contrast with England, currently favorites to win on home soil, is stark. Eoin Morgan (1,962 runs), Jos Buttler (1,392) and Ben Stokes (1,368) all average over 40 since the last World Cup. Morgan strikes at nearly a run a ball, while the explosiveness of Buttler (strike-rate of 123.62) and Stokes (105.31) has been a huge factor in England’s 50-over renaissance.
When India won the World Cup in 2011, they could call on Yuvraj Singh (the player of the tournament), Suresh Raina and Dhoni in the middle order. Raina played match-winning hands in both the quarter-final against Australia and the semi -final against Pakistan, while Dhoni finished things off in the final. The present incumbents will need to up their game significantly if Kohli’s stunning batsmanship is not to be in vain.
India cannot rely solely on ‘peerless’ Virat Kohli for World Cup success
India cannot rely solely on ‘peerless’ Virat Kohli for World Cup success
Real Madrid edge Valencia to stay on Barca’s tail, Atletico slump
- After Spanish champions Barca had beaten Mallorca on Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid eked out a tight victory at Mestalla to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals
BARCELONA: Kylian Mbappe scored his 23rd goal of the season in La Liga to help Real Madrid claim a battling 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday and close the gap to leaders Barcelona to one point.
Third-place Atletico Madrid slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Real Betis, three days after thrashing the Andalusian side in the Copa del Rey, falling further away from the top two.
After Spanish champions Barca had beaten Mallorca on Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid eked out a tight victory at Mestalla to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals.
Missing suspended forward Vinicius Junior and injured midfielder Jude Bellingham, Los Blancos lacked sparkle but did enough to claim three points on Spain’s east coast.
Alvaro Carreras put the visitors ahead midway through the second half and Mbappe struck late on to seal their win.
“It was going to be a game where we had to have a lot of patience. I think it was a win that came because of how solid we were, and our focussed performance,” said Arbeloa.
“I think that we were fair winners.”
England international Trent Alexander-Arnold made his return after injury as a substitute in the second half of Madrid’s victory.
Arda Guler and Mbappe had chances in the first half, while Madrid right-back David Jimenez, from the club’s youth academy, came closest to scoring but was denied by goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.
Midway through the second half, Carreras conjured a goal out of nothing to give Madrid the lead.
Coming in from the left, the defender used his weaker right foot to stroke the ball inside Dimitrievski’s near post.
Valencia might have levelled but Lucas Beltran’s effort on the stretch clipped the post.
Madrid eventually secured the three points in stoppage time as Brahim Diaz teed up La Liga’s top scorer Mbappe to finish from close range.
“Right now he’s the best player in the world, for what he’s showing day after day and game after game,” said Arbeloa, who reiterated that Mbappe could live up to his boyhood idol Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy at Real Madrid.
“As I’ve said before, it seemed like Cristiano was something alien, impossible to equal, and that nobody would get close, but Kylian is on a good path... it’s not easy, obviously, but if anyone can, it’s Kylian.”
Valencia’s fans, some of whom had waved white handkerchieves during the match in protest at the club’s situation, headed for the exits with Los Che 17th, one point above the drop zone.
“It’s normal that (the fans) are nervous, I would be too,” admitted Valencia captain Jose Gaya to DAZN.
Revenge mission
Antony’s first-half strike helped Betis win at Atletico, earning his side revenge for their cup mauling, and leaving Atletico 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Betis, fifth, continued their push toward the top four, now trailing fourth-placed Villarreal by four points, although they have played two more matches than the Yellow Submarine.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico waltzed into the Copa del Rey semifinals with a hefty 5-0 win at Betis on Thursday, but this was a far closer affair at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium.
“It’s a tough defeat to take after the great game we had in the cup. We weren’t as good as the other day,” admitted Atletico captain Koke to Movistar.
“They set up a lot tighter at the back... We had very few chances and they played a great game.”
Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini made five changes to the team which crumbled at home and his side were determined to prove a point in the Spanish capital.
“I’m very happy for the goal and even more so for the victory — it’s been a very difficult week,” said Antony, who curled home after 28 minutes, beating Jan Oblak at his near post.
“We had to change, there was no other option... we’re sorry (to the fans) for the game in the cup.”
Atletico had the ball in Betis’s net with 15 minutes to go when Diego Llorente headed Giuliano Simeone’s cross into his own net, but Antoine Griezmann was judged to be fractionally offside and interfering with play.
Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao beat Levante 4-2, Sevilla and Girona shared a 1-1 draw, and Getafe won 2-0 at Alaves.
