Raipur: India suffered a four-wicket defeat in the second ODI against South Africa despite putting a massive 358/5 on the board. The Proteas chased down the target in 49.2 overs, completing the highest successful run chase against India in ODI history. Earlier, in 2019, Australia had chased 359.
Speaking after the match, Indian captain KL Rahul admitted that the loss was heavily influenced by the heavy dew in the second innings, which made bowling extremely difficult.
Rahul said, “Looking at how much dew there was in the second innings and how tough it became to bowl, the umpires were kind enough to even change the ball. The toss played a huge role. I’m blaming myself for losing the toss.”
The captain acknowledged that the bowlers and fielders could have performed better but insisted that the conditions were overwhelmingly against them.
“There are always areas where we could have done better. Yes, 350 was a strong total, but even after the last match, our discussion in the dressing room was about how we can score an extra 20–25 runs to help the bowlers when the ball gets wet,” Rahul added.
Rahul also praised Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored his maiden ODI century, and lauded his 195-run partnership with Virat Kohli, who smashed his 53rd ODI ton.
“Rutu batted brilliantly. After his fifty, the way he accelerated was outstanding. That momentum helped us get those extra runs. Kohli, as always, just did his job,” Rahul said.
India won the first ODI in Ranchi by 17 runs, while South Africa’s victory in Raipur levelled the series 1–1. The final ODI on 6 December is now set to be the series decider.
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