10 Best Individual Performances in Ind-SA ODIs

Both India and South Africa are evenly matched in the 50-over formatEver since South Africa’s induction back into the fold of world cricket, they’ve shared an interesting camaraderie with India. Their Boards are good friends and have bailed each other out time and time again. They have played each other quite a bit. India and South Africa have toured each other a lot as well. While South Africa hold the edge in Tests, the teams have been more evenly matched in One Day Internationals.The present series is important considering the Saffers have never won a bilateral ODI series. However, the two teams have churned out some memorable performances over the years, bringing the best out of each other’s players.The cricket is usually top notch and there have been some historical games as well. India’s batting might and spin treasures have pitted well against South Africa’s dashers and speedsters making for enthralling watching.Here, we look at some of the best individual performances with bat and ball witnessed in Ind – SA ODI games. Mind you, some good performances, like Dhawan’s two centuries, one in the World Cup and one in the Champions Trophy just miss out along with Steyn’s five-for in the 2011 World Cup, because factors like the quality of wickets and runs, the support available and the stage in the game when the contributions were made had to be taken into consideration along with the class of the actual performance itself on an absolute level.

#10 Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 10-2-22-4, Johannesburg, 2011

Tsotsobe celebrating after picking up one of his four wickets against India at the Wanderers

Tsotsobe’s brilliant performance came in a losing cause, but it was he who gave South Africa a great chance to win the match. India were cruising, batting first at 150 for three, when Tsotsobe coming back towards the end got Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni after having taken Murali Vijay’s wicket at the top.

India were all out for 190. South Africa floundered in the chase thanks to another brilliant bowling performance from Munaf Patel (4-29), India winning the match eventually by just 1 run, collapsing from 152 for four to 189 all out.

#9 Hansie Cronje, 10-0-32-5, Cape Town, 1992

Cronje put in an all-round performance to lead the Proteas to victory

A future great, the young Cronje showed his bowling prowess in that game after India’s openers added 92 runs. The hallmark of this bowling performance was the two double strikes. In the 28th over, Cronje got both W Raman and Ajay Jadeja to end India’s good start.

He came back in the 42nd over to break the backbone of the Indian middle order, getting Sanjay Manjrekar and Praveen Amre within the space of two balls. The spell is still the third best in all Ind-SA ODI games even though it has been more than two decades since Cronje turned in that performance. South Africa chased down 185 in the last over, Cronje scoring 12 in five balls to clinch the deal.

#8 Sourav Ganguly, 141*, Nairobi, 2000

Ganguly was instrumental in leading India to the finals of the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy

This still counts as one of India’s greatest overseas victories having come at a time, when Indians weren’t known for their travelling and South Africa clearly had an upper hand. Batting first, India piled on 295 thanks to Ganguly’s unbeaten 141 which came in just 143 balls against a bowling lineup that had Shaun Pollock, Allan Donald, Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener.

Ganguly added 66 with Sachin for the opening partnership and then 145 with Rahul Dravid and 82 with Yuvraj, shepherding India to a brilliant total. India won the match comfortably by 95 runs. Importantly, it was a knock-out match, the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy. That definitely means the runs count for a lot more, edging out Shikhar Dhawan’s 137 against South Africa in the 2015 World Cup down under in group match.

#7 Anil Kumble, 8.2-0-25-4, Mumbai, 1996

Kumble always performed for his country in the big games

Anil Kumble was India’s big match player, always bowling crucial spells in big games. This performance was yet another. In the Final of the Titan Cup, India scored just 220, Sachin top-scoring with 67.

Anil Kumble complemented well by Venkatesh Prasad was spot on, getting Gary Kirsten and Jonty Rhodes and then closing the match with two quick wickets in the end, after David Richardson and Pat Symcox added 89 runs for the ninth wicket, taking South Africa from 96 for seven to 184, eventually all out for 185, thanks to Kumble’s double strike in the end.

#6 Yusuf Pathan, 105, Centurion, 2011

Yusuf Pathan almost led India to a famous victory at the Centurion

Had Yusuf Pathan pulled off the unlikely win, this could have been the best ton by any player in an IND-SA ODI game, for the sheer audacity and hitting. Chasing 251 at the Centurion, India were reduced to 74 for six, descending further to 98 for seven and 119 for eight, in the 23rd over.

That is when Pathan went berserk, smashing a sensational 105 in just 70 balls with eight fours and eight sixes. Pathan added 100 for the ninth wicket with Zaheer Khan taking India to the doorstep of victory. Pathan fell with India needing just 32 more in 88 balls. That was one of the hardest fought ODI series between India and South Africa, the latter winning it 3-2 and Pathan almost turned it the other way around. It is also India’s fastest ton against South Africa anywhere.

#5 AB de Villiers, 102*, Ahmedabad, 2010

AB de Villiers scored the fastest century in India-SA ODI encounters

It was about the time AB de Villiers was making headlines, toying with the faster bowlers with his 360-degree style of batting. It would be another couple of years before he became consistent with his sensational hitting.

But India saw it early and received it early when on a flat track on Motera, AB arrived with the cushion of an amazing foundation. South Africa were 192 for two in the 33rd over when AB walked to the crease. He scored the fastest century in an Ind-SA ODI that day, finishing on 102* in just 59 balls, with a strike-rate of 172.88, having smashed 11 fours and three sixes – a boundary shot once every four balls over a 10 over period. India fell short by 90 runs as South Africa piled on 365, Sreesanth receiving the stick with figures of 0-83.

#4 Rohit Sharma, 150, Kanpur, 2015

Rohit Sharma's wonderful century was in vain as India faltered in the chase

It is the only 150 by a batsman against South Africa in a chase. That it came on a pitch that was not easy to bat on, under pressure, chasing 304 makes it even more special. But anyone who saw the innings will remember it for a long time because it overshadows an AB de Villiers’ special earlier in the day and that says something.

Rohit single-handedly took India to the doorstep of victory effortlessly striking bowlers like Steyn and Morkel for sixes. His 133 ball knock had 13 fours and six sixes. He fell when his side was on 269, needing just 35 in 24 balls, but the Indians faltered from there on and lost the game. Nevertheless, this is one of Rohit’s better innings, considering his penchant for daddy hundreds in ODI matches.

#3 Allan Donald, 8.4-0-29-5, Kolkata, 1991

Donald announced himself to the cricketing world early in his career

A very young White Lightning announced himself to the world, bowling furiously fast at Eden Gardens in what was South Africa’s entry back into international cricket. South Africa managed just 177, but Donald made that look like a mountain getting Ravi Shastri and Sanjay Manjrekar, the latter’s stump flying for one of cricket’s most memorable moments.

India were in trouble at 20 for three when Donald picked up his third, the wicket of Navjot Sidhu. But, Sachin Tendulkar, who would be Man of the Match, sharing it with Donald, played a gem, 62 in 73 balls. Praveen Amre scored a half-century too and while the two half-centurions were Donald’s fourth and fifth wickets, India made it eventually winning by seven wickets.

#2 Sunil Joshi, 10-6-6-5, Nairobi, 1999

Joshi bowled a magical spell to pick up five wickets, giving away only six runs

Joshi bowled a dream spell that day, the best figures for any bowler in an Ind-SA ODI match. It was Joshi who broke the opening partnership getting Herschelle Gibbs out in the tenth over.

By the time, Joshi picked up his fifth, South Africa were 85 for seven in the 38th over. Joshi was sensational in bowling alongside an extremely inexperienced bowling line-up orchestrating the collapse of a powerful South African batting order. India chased down 118 in just 23 overs to win the LG Cup fixture.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar, 200*, Gwalior, 2010

Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score a double century in ODIs

The first double century in men’s ODI cricket came in an Ind – SA ODI. On an absolute belter of a track, Sachin Tendulkar – the greatest ODI batsman ever – deservedly became the first man to score a double century in ODIs.

India won the toss and opted to bat first, losing Virender Sehwag early. But Sachin added 194 for the second wicket with Dinesh Karthik, 81 with Yusuf Pathan for the third wicket and then 101 for the fourth wicket with MS Dhoni in 53 balls. He scored 200* in 147 balls in a knock studded with 25 fours and three sixes. India won the match by a whopping 153 runs. Dhoni played a blitzkrieg in a match where Wayne Parnell’s figures read 2-95 and the great Dale Steyn went wicket-less in 10 overs giving away 89 runs.