5 Reasons why India failed in the T20 series against South Africa

South Africa won the T20 series against India 2-0South Africa’s 72-day tour to India began on a positive note for the visitors after a comprehensive win over India in the T20 series. If not for the rain the team could have clean swept India in the series, but then, South Africa and rain have never been good friends. The Proteas will be looking to carry the momentum in the ODI series as well which begins on Sunday. But the loss in the series has left India with a lot of questions to answer. The T20 World Cup to be held in the country is just a few months away and India will have to work on the chinks in their armor. As Virat Kohli puts it, it will hopefully serve as a “blessing in disguise” for the team.Here, we bring you 5 reasons why the Indian team failed in the T20 series.

#5 India\'s middle-order collapse

Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni were the main culprits in India’s weak middle-order resistanc

In the first match, the middle order failed to capitalize on the start given by the top order. Suresh Raina got out when he looked set and Rayadu was run out after facing a single delivery. Dhoni’s inability to hit big shots when the team needed it came under the radar. As a result of the above factors, the team was at least 20-30 runs short of a winning total and so it proved to be.

In the second T20 at Cuttack, the top order collapsed and the middle order followed suite. Only 4 players reached two-digit scores and the team bundled out for 93, a total which was never going to be enough to defend.

#4 JP Duminy

Duminy played a match-winning knock in the 1^st T20

South African all-rounder JP Duminy is yet to be dismissed in the tour of India as he guided his side to victory in both T20 matches and played a valiant knock but in a losing cause against India A in the warm-up prior to it. Amassing 98 runs in two matches, Duminy was instrumental in South Africa winning the series and was awarded the Man of the Series.

In the first match when South Africa looked like they would collapse, it was Duminy who stood like a wall between India and victory. After initial resistance to Ashwin, his 3 consecutive sixes off Akshar Patel turned the match in South Africa’s favour. In Cuttack also, he ensured South Africa cruised to a comfortable win.

#3 Lack of partners for Ashwin

Ashwin looked like the only bowler who could take wickets

Ashwin was the only bowler who looked like he could take wickets, but there was no one to support him from the other end. All the pressure created by him was let go when another spinner bowled from the other end. Ashwin was also unlucky when an lbw against JP Duminy wasn’t given.

Axar Patel looked ineffective against the experienced and attacking South African lineup. He had figures of 4-0-45-0 and 3-0-17-1 respectively. Harbhajan Singh’s experience also didn’t come handy because the team had too little runs to defend but even then didn’t look like he could take wickets at any moment.

#2 Lack of quality pacers

Bhuvneshwar Kumar seems to have lost his ability to swing the bal

India’s bowling attack failed to put a decent fight and couldn’t put any pressure on the South African players. AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla attacked the bowling right from the start and it was difficult coming back from the damage caused early on.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s newly acquired speed has come at the behest of his ability to swing and is making him less dangerous. Debutant Sreenath Aravind failed to capitalize on the chance given to him while Mohit Sharma gave away runs as if in charity.

#1 Shikhar Dhawan\'s T20 woes continues

Dhawan failed in both matches against South Africa

Shikhar Dhawan failed to turn up in either of the matches. An embarrassing run out in the first match was followed by an lbw to Chris Morris in the second match. His failure in the former went unnoticed because of Rohit Sharma’s blistering hundred, but it became more conspicuous in the latter when the team collapsed.

A meager average of 14 in 8 T20I matches with the highest score of 33 doesn’t bring confidence. With a talented batsman like Ajinkaya Rahane is in the squad, waiting in the wings, the Delhi-born cricketer has to start delivering or else could find himself out of the squad.

Virat Kohli is another option the selectors could be looking at since he regularly opens for his IPL franchise.