Dhoni returns; India are diSAppointed

India (Shar)made eight changes to their playing eleven – Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Stuart Binny, Sanju Samson and Sandeep (Shar)made way for Rohit, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (who was leading the team), Ambati Rayudu, Ravichandran Ashwin and Twenty20 International debutant Sreenath Aravind.

South Africa made five changes to the (Mork)eleven that last played the Indians – Quinton de Kock, Albie, Dale Steyn, Beuran Hendricks and Wayne Parnell made way for Farhaan Behardien, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott and Marchant de Lange.

On winning the toss, Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s skipper, inserted the hosts.

The Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the sixth over. They scored 46, and lost a wicket.

India’s openers put on 22. Dhawan, who faced four balls, scored three. Nineteen balls into the match, de Lange and A B de Villiers ran him out.

India scored 50 off 6.4 overs (40 balls). South Africa had conceded three extras at that point.

The second-wicket pair put on 50 off 34 balls. While Rohit’s contribution to the partnership was 27, Kohli’s contribution to it was 20. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was three.

Rohit’s half-century – which included eight boundaries and a six – came off 39 balls.

India scored 100 off 11.1 overs (67 balls). The number of extras they had conceded gave South Africa no reason to be in seventh heaven.

The second-wicket pair put on 100 off 55 balls. While Rohit’s contribution to the partnership was 58, Kohli’s contribution to it was 36. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was half-a-dozen.

India scored 150 off 14.5 overs (90 balls). South Africa had conceded 10 extras at that point.

Rohit’s ton – which included a dozen boundaries and five sixes – came off 62 balls.

Kohli, whose 27-ball innings included a boundary and three sixes, eventually scored 43. Seventy-five balls after Dhawan’s dismissal, he was caught by Jean-Paul Duminy. Abbott broke the 138-run partnership.

Rohit, whose 66-ball innings included the aforementioned number of boundaries and sixes, eventually scored 106. Three balls later, he was caught by Morris. Abbott broke the two-run stand.

Raina, whose eight-run innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 14. Fifteen balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Morris, who broke the 22-run stand.

Dhoni, whose 12-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, scored 20. He was unbeaten.

The fifth-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Rayudu, who faced a ball, didn’t get off the mark. The next ball, Hashim Amla and Morris ran him out.

Axar Patel, who faced three balls, scored a couple. He was unbeaten.

South Africa eventually conceded 11 extras. India scored 199 for the loss of five wickets off 20 overs.

Duminy bowled a wicketless over, conceding eight. Imran bowled three wicketless overs, conceding T(a)hirty-five. De Lange and Rabada bowled four wicketless overs apiece. While the former conceded 47, the latter conceded 32.

Morris bowled four overs, conceding 46. He picked up a wicket. Abbott bowled four overs, conceding 29. He picked up a couple of scalps.

The Powerplay of South Africa’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the sixth over. They scored 67, without the loss of a wicket.

South Africa’s openers put on 50 off 4.2 overs (26 balls). India had conceded an extra at that point. While Amla’s contribution to the partnership was 22, de Villiers’ contribution to it was 28.

South Africa’s openers eventually put on 77. Amla, whose 24-ball innings included five boundaries, scored 36. Forty-six balls later, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ashwin ran him out.

De Villiers’ half-century – which included seven boundaries and a six – came off 31 balls. He eventually scored 51 off 32 balls. Thirteen balls later, Ashwin broke the 16-run stand.

Du Plessis, who faced five balls, scoring four. Four balls later, Aravind – who has never represented India in any form of cricket since – broke the two-run stand.

South Africa scored 100 off 11.3 overs (69 balls). India had conceded three extras at that point.

South Africa scored 150 off 15.4 overs (94 balls). India had conceded four extras at that point.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 50 off 31 balls. While Duminy’s contribution to the partnership was 26, Behardien’s contribution to it was 28. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a run.

Duminy’s half-century – which included a boundary and five sixes – came off 28 balls.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 100 off 54 balls. While Duminy’s contribution to the partnership was 66, Behardien’s contribution to it was 32. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was half-a-dozen.

South Africa scored 200 off 19.4 overs (118 balls). India had conceded nine extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

Duminy, whose 34-ball innings included a boundary and seven sixes, eventually scored 68. He was unbeaten, as was Behardien, who didn’t add to the aforementioned score. His 23-ball innings included four boundaries and a six.

Having lost just three wickets, South Africa won by seven wickets with a couple of balls to spare. Patel bowled four wicketless overs, conceding 45. Kumar and Mohit bowled four wicketless overs each, conceding 40 apiece.

Aravind bowled 3.4 overs, conceding 44. He picked up a wicket, as did Ashwin, who bowled four overs, conceding 26.

South Africa led the three-match series 1-0.