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MS Dhoni and India’s pride at stake in 3rd T20I versus South Africa at Kolkata

Indian cricketers haven’t really been able to make a strong mark so far in the first leg of the series against South Africa.

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South Africans have surprised with their approach in this series © AFP
South Africans have surprised with their approach in this series © AFP

India’s defeat in the first leg of the home series against South Africa came as bit of a surprise, but rather than brooding over what has already been lost, the team should gather itself to iron out the flaws and start afresh. The third and final Twenty20 International (T20I), to be played on Thursday evening at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, gives the Indian cricket team an opportunity to put the two defeats behind and get their act together, as the going is only to get tougher hereon. South Africans have shown greater intent, and it is crucial for India to reclaim some of the lost ground. LIVE CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs South Africa 1st ODI at Kanpur

India have been caught slightly off guard, as the South Africans weren’t expected to be as aggressive and imposing as they have been so early in the series. The move to make AB de Villiers — arguably their best batsman across formats — open in T20Is has paid rich dividends on the flat Indian tracks. Additionally, those around de Villiers have played out their roles effectively to keep South Africa ahead of India.

The South African pacers have utilised bouncers well, and Imran Tahir has been a vital cog in the bowling line-up. Sachin Tendulkar had already warned India about the damages that Tahir can cause, and the hosts will have to find ways to play out the South African spinner whose career graph is on a rise. India will have to do away with their mental demons while taking on the opposition spinners, as the last thing the young brigade of batsmen would want is to be haunted by spinners from outside the subcontinent.  READ: India vs South Africa 2015, 3rd T20I at Eden Gardens, Preview

Indian cricketers haven’t really been able to make a strong mark so far in the T20I leg of the series. Rohit Sharma’s century has been the only bright spot for them in the first two games and to some extent Ravichandran Ashwin’s spell in the second game, and when South Africa’s performance is assessed, there are clear reasons why they deserved the series win in T20Is. While the batting mainstays in Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli have not been up to the mark, the South Africans have got just the right support they needed from Hashim Amla and JP Duminy. COMPLETE COVERAGE: India vs South Africa 2015

The lower-order has played a key role as well. If there is the dangerous pair of JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien which has hurt India, the hosts’ cause has not got the support they seek from the likes of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina. The Indian cricketers, in all, have not been able to get their A game forward — despite having an ideal build-up for the series — and have paid the price for not stepping up to the challenge.

India do not enjoy as successful a record in T20Is at home as in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test cricket, and the South African series has only proven that the situation is not an ideal one with the ICC World T20 2016 — to be played on these very shores — looming in the horizon. Indian cricketers  have performed well individually for their respective teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but collectively, they have a huge room for development.

The third T20I and a few initial ODIs will be watched closely from all quarters, as there is a sentiment that Dhoni might have begun the closing phase of his career. Though the Indian captain hasn’t openly spoken about it so far and remains likely to lead India in the ICC World T20 2016, the meteoric rise of Kohli for the captaincy role would put the venerable cricketer under pressure. If India wins the third T20I at Kolkata, some pressure would certainly be off them and Dhoni.

(Devarchit Varma is a reporter with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)

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