India's 5 worst performances against South Africa

India vs South Africa

Nothing has gone right for India against South Africa in the ongoing ODI series. And, it is not for the first time that India have floundered against the Proteas. Here is a look at 5 of India’s worst ODI performances against South Africa.

1. 2nd ODI, Durban 2006

After the bowlers had done a reasonable job in keeping South Africa under check, Jacques Kallis produced a tremendous innings of 119* to take the Proteas to a respectable 248. Then, it all came apart for India, as Shaun Pollock, Andre Nel and Kallis wreaked havoc with the ball. On a lively pitch, that had some pace, and aided seam movement, India’s batsmen were at 6s and 7s, and were bowled out for 91, handing the Proteas a 157 run victory, in a series that they would eventually romp to a 4-0 victory in.

2. 1st ODI, Durban 2011

India vs South Africa

After the high of the test series in which India matched South Africa blow for blow, the first ODI in 2011 was a dampener, to say the least. After an indisciplined bowling effort, which saw them let South Africa get away to 289, riding on a fantastic century from Hashim Amla, India produced a woeful batting effort, folding for 154. Only Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina offered some resistance, as India’s other batsmen were blown away on a lively pitch, by the accuracy of Lonwabo Tsotsobe, the bounce of Morne Morkel, and the nip of Wayne Parnell.

3. ICC World Cup 2011, Nagpur

India vs South africa

When a team scores 296, and it is chased down only in the last over, you wouldn’t generally term it a bad performance. But, the circumstances from which India let the game slip, with both bat and ball is what puts this game on this list. From seemingly cruising at 267/1 in the 40th over, India contrived to lose their next 9 wickets for 29 runs, Dale Steyn the destroyer-in-chief taking 5 wickets. While bowling, India were in a comfortable position, and poor death bowling from Ashish Nehra in particular, let the game slip out of India’s hands.

4. 1st ODI, Johannesburg, 2013

India vs South Africa

Poor bowling with the new ball. Poor death bowling. Poor batting. That summed up India’s performance at Jo’burg in the first ODI of the ongoing series. After a hundred from Quinton de Kock and an able supporting hand from Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy blitzed India at the death, taking South Africa to 358. They plundered 135 runs off the last ten overs, 84 of them coming off the last five. De Villiers made 77 off 47 balls, and Duminy 59 off 29 balls. When India came out to bat, Dale Steyn breathed fire, as Rohit Sharma struggled to even get bat to ball. Only MS Dhoni could offer any sort of resistance as India folded 141 runs short of the South African total.

5. 2nd ODI, Durban, 2013

Quinton de Kock

Durban has never been a happy hunting ground for India, at least in the ODI format. This time, it was the turn of Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla to feast on the mediocre Indian bowling again. After putting on 152 in Jo’burg, they out 194 in this match, each of them getting to individual hundreds. India pulled it back well, before Umesh Yadav leaked 20 runs off the last over, meaning that South Africa got to 280. When India batted, it was a similar story to Jo’burg, as they were once again done by accurate pace bowling. Tsotsobe, Morkel and Steyn ensured India got nowhere near South Africa’s total, falling 134 runs short to get bowled out for 146.