Fans roast Indian middle-order after their abysmal show in the first ODI against South AfricaKL Rahul-led Team India began the three-match ODI series with a disappointing loss in Paarl. After looking in a comfortable situation mid-way through the innings, a sudden middle-order collapse caused the downfall of India in the match. South African bowlers capitalized on that momentum and strangled the lower-order batters to win the match by 31 runs in the end.Chasing 297, Team India looked to be in a great position until the 25th over of the second innings, with Shikhar Dhawan(79) and Virat Kohli(51) looking in sublime touch. Duo's departure in quick succession opened the flood gates for the South African bowlers. Inexperienced Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and Venkatesh Iyer failed to utilize the opportunity and soon perished, leaving the visitors in a heap of trouble.Shardul Thakur fought valiantly in the end, but the asking rate went beyond his reach as there was no support from the other end. Fans were extremely disappointed to witness the abysmal batting performance of the middle-order and expressed the same on Twitter.Here are some of the best reactions:Nil Dev@NilDev92The collapse were always on the card after the exit of Kohli and Dhawan. Disappointing performance Fri. Middle order. #SAvIND9:10 AM · Jan 19, 2022The collapse were always on the card after the exit of Kohli and Dhawan. Disappointing performance Fri. Middle order. #SAvINDRishu Raj Yadav@rajjjjjrishuOnce upon a time Indian Middle order..#INDvSA10:11 AM · Jan 19, 20223Once upon a time Indian Middle order..#INDvSA https://t.co/KsV0QBRtMzPooja 🍀@khot_poojaWithout Rohit sharma this team looks so weak imo be it any format Test,Odi or T20 He is king of his kingdom🦁 #INDvsSA #RohitSharma9:09 AM · Jan 19, 202261Without Rohit sharma this team looks so weak imo😌 be it any format Test,Odi or T20 He is king of his kingdom🦁 #INDvsSA #RohitSharma https://t.co/J2Wtd8Ich3Dadabhadav@dadabhadav@Rizzvi73 Welcome to Punjab kings India9:29 AM · Jan 19, 20221@Rizzvi73 Welcome to Punjab kings India https://t.co/V5xd0Cypj6Ashutosh Srivastava@ashutosh_sri8Meanwhile waiting to see Ishan Kishan & Ruturaj Gaikwad in next ODIs #INDvsSA 10:12 AM · Jan 19, 2022115Meanwhile waiting to see Ishan Kishan & Ruturaj Gaikwad in next ODIs #INDvsSA https://t.co/dK3A3ZmoP4Satyajit SJ Beura@realm_of_SJ#SAvIND No one:#TeamIndia middle order:9:42 AM · Jan 19, 2022#SAvIND No one:#TeamIndia middle order: https://t.co/UTEk1Q2TfpJai Upadhyay@jay_upadhyay14Lord Shardul right now#SAvIND9:53 AM · Jan 19, 20225Lord Shardul right now#SAvIND https://t.co/eRK1bHLb8K𝓢𝓮𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓱 🇵🇰@itsmeSehrishIndian cricket fans after watching 1st ODI #INDvSA9:12 AM · Jan 19, 20221Indian cricket fans after watching 1st ODI #INDvSA https://t.co/0vDeq3Ii7fPeaky Blinder@peakyblinder780Ashwin is not an all rounder I repeat he is not an all rounder He just performs ocacionally , maybe once a year ! Please stop using him as a no. 6 batter . Hardik pandya without bowling is still a far better batter at no. 6 in limited overs format#INDvsSA #ashwin#bcci@BCCI9:12 AM · Jan 19, 2022Ashwin is not an all rounder I repeat he is not an all rounder He just performs ocacionally , maybe once a year ! Please stop using him as a no. 6 batter . Hardik pandya without bowling is still a far better batter at no. 6 in limited overs format#INDvsSA #ashwin#bcci@BCCIMini Ponting@Roshan_2015Rahul at 5 is mandatory. This guy holds the middle order together & gives stability. India management needs to understand this. #INDvSA9:36 AM · Jan 19, 2022Rahul at 5 is mandatory. This guy holds the middle order together & gives stability. India management needs to understand this. #INDvSACricketwallah@cricketwallahIndia have lost 4 wickets for 47 runs after #Kohli’s dismissal. That’s how important his wicket was. That’s why it was so important he eschew risks and stay till the match was secure for his team9:12 AM · Jan 19, 202271469India have lost 4 wickets for 47 runs after #Kohli’s dismissal. That’s how important his wicket was. That’s why it was so important he eschew risks and stay till the match was secure for his teamMandeep 18@VK__Goat18_@BCCI Finished team without captain virat9:10 AM · Jan 19, 2022@BCCI Finished team without captain virat✍️@Saccharine_18#INDvSA Lord Shardul supremacy10:08 AM · Jan 19, 20225117#INDvSA Lord Shardul supremacy https://t.co/8EvHjIDdDsSomeone something somewhere@Someone95258455Can't digest KL Rahul's approach to a part time spinner like Markram, eventually succumbing to him. Too defensive!! #SAvIND8:40 AM · Jan 19, 2022Can't digest KL Rahul's approach to a part time spinner like Markram, eventually succumbing to him. Too defensive!! #SAvINDdrmeeta paul@drmeetapaul4#INDvsSA#Shardulthakur fighting till his last breath with a 50Just Lords things10:04 AM · Jan 19, 202213#INDvsSA#Shardulthakur fighting till his last breath with a 50Just Lords things https://t.co/nTgFyPyGzRdrmeeta paul@drmeetapaul4#INDvsSA#Shardulthakur fighting till his last breath with a 50Just Lords things10:04 AM · Jan 19, 202213#INDvsSA#Shardulthakur fighting till his last breath with a 50Just Lords things https://t.co/nTgFyPyGzRVishal Deshmukh@vishald1290#SAvINDVirat Kohli when he don't have to face the media after the loss9:24 AM · Jan 19, 202282#SAvINDVirat Kohli when he don't have to face the media after the loss https://t.co/gNoZbeQpYnTrue@nonetetIndia had lost last 10 out of 11 ODIs without Rohit Sharma.This clearly tells impact of this man!!9:17 AM · Jan 19, 2022246India had lost last 10 out of 11 ODIs without Rohit Sharma.This clearly tells impact of this man!! https://t.co/09L76SRQKhGhanshyam verma@Ghanshy41702141I have never seen a good knock by Kl rahul when the team is in trouble.Most unsucessful captain of IPL as well #SAvIND9:03 AM · Jan 19, 20223I have never seen a good knock by Kl rahul when the team is in trouble.Most unsucessful captain of IPL as well #SAvINDShubham@_shubham_27KL already started to show he can't handle captaincy and batting together🤷🏻‍♂️.Best of Lucknow franchise he will only chase for orange cap forget about trophy already#KLRahul #INDvsSA #IPL20228:36 AM · Jan 19, 20221KL already started to show he can't handle captaincy and batting together🤷🏻‍♂️.Best of Lucknow franchise he will only chase for orange cap forget about trophy already😂#KLRahul #INDvsSA #IPL2022ZIMVABER RARELY ACTIVE@S_worded_IDIndia's middle order without Ms Dhoni:9:14 AM · Jan 19, 2022201India's middle order without Ms Dhoni: https://t.co/mYiPaoBp6rMayank #VihariIn@ImMayankBThose were the days when Dhoni and Raina used to stand tall between India and collapse.9:12 AM · Jan 19, 202231Those were the days when Dhoni and Raina used to stand tall between India and collapse. https://t.co/SRoUkzvIjy𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋 _DhoNI 💙@itzGamccha07Indian middle order : #INDvSA9:29 AM · Jan 19, 2022123Indian middle order : #INDvSA https://t.co/YFXBMlm5tDNeelabh@CricNeelabhTotal PBKSesque performance today.#SAvIND9:20 AM · Jan 19, 202225521Total PBKSesque performance today.#SAvINDTermeNatar@rddas1#SAvIND The best this Indian team can do is avoid whitewash if possible.9:11 AM · Jan 19, 20223#SAvIND The best this Indian team can do is avoid whitewash if possible.रजत Jain@rbainaraIndia can never win any world cup if @klrahul11 will open!! He should have batted at his regular no.5 spot! India needs to fix 4,5,6 and give them ample chances together! Opening is not a concern for us! but it seems some players are playing for their own runs! #SAvsIND9:11 AM · Jan 19, 202211India can never win any world cup if @klrahul11 will open!! He should have batted at his regular no.5 spot! India needs to fix 4,5,6 and give them ample chances together! Opening is not a concern for us! but it seems some players are playing for their own runs! #SAvsINDThe Witty Man@thewittyman1710#INDvsSA Me waiting for #ViratKohli ‘s 71st century:-8:21 AM · Jan 19, 202232#INDvsSA Me waiting for #ViratKohli ‘s 71st century:- https://t.co/gKd1SBQyziThere was so much to learn from today's game: KL RahulTeam India's stand-in skipper KL Rahul revealed that his side learned a lot from today's loss. Speaking at the post-match presentations after the game, KL Rahul reflected on India's batting performance and pointed out that middle-order collapse was the major reason for their defeat. Rahul said:"There was so much to learn from today's game. We started off really well, but we couldn't get wickets in the middle overs. We will have to see how we get wickets in the middle overs and stop the opposition batters.""Today the middle-order couldn't get going for us. We were on par for the first 20-25 overs of the game. At that stage, I thought we might chase it down easily, but SA bowled really well and got crucial wickets to come back in the game."He added:"Every game is important for us. We all want to go out there and give our best performances representing the nation. We haven't played one-day cricket for a while." "We have the 2023 World Cup in mind and want to get the best XI on the park for that. In the process, we will make mistakes, but we will learn from them."The Men in Blue will now face the Proteas team in the second ODI of the three-match series on Friday at the same venue.