The Indian cricket team may have won the 3-match T20I series against South Africa by 2-1 but the latter has started the 3-match ODI series on a winning note as the visitors defeated India by 9 runs in the first ODI which was played at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.
However more than superb game of the South African cricketers, it was the Indian fielders who can easily be held responsible for this defeat because the fielding was very poor, there were few instances of misfields and 3 catches were also dropped by the Indian fielders.
The toss was won by the hosts and they decided to bowl first, the first South African batter whose catch was dropped was Janneman Malan. Shubman Gill dropped an easy catch of Malan in the slips on the bowling of Shardul Thakur, however Malan was soon dismissed by the same bowler on the score of 22 runs (42 balls, 3 fours).
David Miller was dropped in the 37th over by Ruturaj Gaikwad on the bowling of Mohammed Siraj at deep mid-wicket, though the catch was a difficult one yet it should have been taken. David Miller played a brilliant knock of 75 runs not out for which he faced 63 balls and his innings included 5 fours & 3 sixes.
Mohammed Siraj also dropped an easy catch of Heinrich Klaasen on the bowling of Avesh Khan, the South African batter also remained unbeaten at 74 runs (65 balls, 6 fours & 2 sixes) and helped his team in putting up a total of 249/4 on the score board.
Indian fans were pretty disappointed with the poor fielding of the Indian cricketers and they trolled the Indian team left and right. Here are some selected reactions:
#1
Dear @BCCI just hold the salary and other benefits of the fielding coach and dravid and tell them to write down 1000 times on a plane paper that Indian national team is not a circus. #SanjuSamson #INDvsSA
— Ashutosh (@ashutoshbinod) October 6, 2022
#2
Ummm what the heck is up with this fielding? Who is the coach post Sridhar sir? Horrendous efforts this or should I say non-existent?🙄🫥 #INDvSA #INDvsSA #CricketTwitter
— Abi (cameo era) (@abs19931) October 6, 2022
#3
Spectacular Sanju Samson! India still fall short! Fell way behind in the powerplay and they were always under pressure from there. Fielding also needs to improve too many opportunities given and runs leaked due to sloppiness in the field. #INDvsSA
— Mustafa Ismail (@MustiMachine) October 6, 2022
#4
Our fielding has gone back to pre Yuvi-Kaif levels in this last year.
So embarrassing. Inexcusable at this level to be honest. #INDvsSA— Prashant (@Prashanttired) October 6, 2022
#5
https://twitter.com/miltonsmarriyat/status/1578013194765107202
#6
What has happened to the Indian fielding unit…we used to field like lions 🔥…
Sad to see this state now
Fielding is the most important and basic part of Cricket#IndvsSAodi #fielding #indvssa— Manish Nadar (@ManishNadar10) October 6, 2022
#7
Time to start Yo- Yo test again. Whatever the result was but During @RaviShastriOfc nd @imVkohli era, Our fielding was brilliant. But now fielding and players fitness is big concern. @BCCI #INDvsSA #bcci #teamindia #Siraj #T20WorldCup
— Rajeev Rai 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_Bharat) October 6, 2022
#8
#INDvsSA #IndvsSAodi This guy should be fielding for Team India , poor Avesh Khan pic.twitter.com/dFWqurK7Em
— JK (@duraijagadeesh) October 6, 2022
#9
That ball boy literally destroyed indian fielding today 😂
2 drop catch in the same over but ball boy is catching like a pro😂#INDvsSA— CA Dhruvish Shah (@Imdhruvish_) October 6, 2022
#10
What is wrong with Siraj..? So many drop catches. #INDvSA
— Sowmya (@roseellenglue) October 6, 2022
#11
There were stats that our players drop 25% of catches & take 75% ! Today they are trying to take it to 100% but not in taking but in dropping! #JustSaying #INDvsSA #SAVSIND #ODI #Lucknow today. #AskStar why?
— Gurbir Bhatia (@gsb2041) October 6, 2022
#12
These Players are not interested in fielding at all
Laughing after Catches Drop & Midfield. No commitment no Involvement Nothing #INDvsSA— KK (@_Dear__Zindagi_) October 6, 2022
The Indian team had a bad start to the innings as the skipper Shikhar Dhawan (4 runs, 16 balls) and Shubman Gill (3 runs, 7 balls) got out quite early and Ruturaj Gaikwad (19 runs, 42 balls, 1 four) also failed in making any impact. Ishan Kishan could also manage only 20 runs (37 balls, 3 fours) but Shreyas Iyer put a good fight as he scored fifty for which he faced 37 deliveries and his innings included 8 fours. However the highlight of the Indian innings was Sanju Samson’s knock of 86 runs not out (63 balls, 9 fours & 3 sixes) and he was well supported by Shardul Thakur who played useful innings of 33 runs (31 balls, 5 fours). Nevertheless, still team India fell short by 9 runs as it could score 240/8 in its stipulated 40 overs in the rain-affected match.
The second ODI of the series will be played on 9th October at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi, Jharkhand.
