Arshdeep five-for in India's easy win in opening SA ODI
Shreyas Iyer and debutant Sai Sudharsan then hit fifties as India chase 117 to win by eight wickets at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Arshdeep Singh’s maiden five-wicket haul for India was the cornerstone of their eight-wicket victory over South Africa in the first ODI on Sunday. The conditions were helpful for the pace bowlers on a bright morning in Johannesburg, enabling Arshdeep (10-0-37-5) and Avesh Khan (8-3-27-4) to wreak havoc and skittle South Africa for 116 — their lowest total at the Wanderers Stadium.
India needed just 16.4 overs to wipe off the modest target. Debutant B Sai Sudharsan couldn’t have asked for a smoother beginning to his ODI career, easing to an unbeaten 55 off 43 balls under minimal pressure after a brisk partnership with Shreyas Iyer (52).
South Africa skipper Aiden Markram chose to bat presuming that the used pitch would get more difficult to bat later in the game. He must have realised his folly when he had to stride out at 3/2 and survive Arshdeep’s hat-trick ball in the second over. He conceded after the game that he got it wrong at the toss.
Reeza Hendricks escaped a close leg-before decision in the very first over by Mukesh Kumar, only to drive loosely away from his body and inside-edge on to the stumps against Arshdeep in the next over. Rassie van der Dussen perished immediately, undone by a hint of inswing that helped the ball evade his flick and hit his pads for a leg-before dismissal.
While Arshdeep was constantly threatening both edges of the South Africa batters, Markram and Tony de Zorzi seemed to get a hang of the conditions during their 39-run stand. De Zorzi, a left-hand batter with dreadlocks who’s only three ODIs old, was willing to take on the pacers and exert some pressure back on India. His first big hit was a six over backward point, punishing Mukesh for erring ever so slightly in length. Three balls later, de Zorzi drove over extra cover for four.
In the eighth over, de Zorzi seemed to impose himself on Arshdeep when he pulled a short ball that sailed over midwicket for six. But this was Arshdeep’s day as de Zorzi top-edged a similar delivery in the same over for skipper KL Rahul to safely get under. It brought Heinrich Klaasen, South Africa’s most in-form white-ball batter, to the crease, but six runs in nine balls was the extent of his contribution thanks to Arshdeep — his opening spell read 7-0-23-4.
If Arshdeep ran through the top six, Avesh did the job of accelerating the collapse by dismissing Markram, Wiaan Mulder and David Miller within his first three overs. Miller’s airy drive to a very wide ball caught his outside edge, reducing South Africa to 58/7 and quelling any lingering hope of a revival.
With Arshdeep needing just a wicket to complete his first fifer in ODIs, Rahul brought the left-armer back in the 22nd over. Off the first ball of his final over, Arshdeep would fulfil his wish by trapping Andile Phehlukwayo plumb in front.
This game-turning spell should enhance Arshdeep’s confidence in the 50-over format. Having impressed at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia as India’s highest wicket-taker with 10 scalps in six games, he may have been expected to kick on and push his case in ODIs too. Before Sunday though, his only three ODI appearances came against New Zealand in November 2022.
The chase was all too serene for India despite Ruturaj Gaikwad’s early dismissal. Sai Sudharsan and Iyer forged an 88-run alliance for the second wicket, taking India to the cusp of a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Sudharsan was fortunate not to be dismissed in the opening over after left-arm pacer Nandre Burger appealed for leg-before — the replay showed he would have been out if Markram had reviewed. The 22-year-old was otherwise assured in his first-ever experience at this level.
Brief scores: South Africa 116 in 27.3 overs (A Phehlukwayo 33; Arshdeep Singh 5/37, Avesh Khan 4/27); India 117/2 in 16.4 overs (Sai Sudharsan 55*, Shreyas Iyer 52). India won by eight wickets.
