India aims for an improved batting show in second ODI

The middle-order, which had been a problem for India during Virat Kohli’s heady days as captain, is still sticking out like a sore thumb. Once again in the first ODI, it was a case of one opener – Shikhar Dhawan on this occasion – and Kohli holding fort before the middle-order caved in on a slow pitch where there was turn and the ball gripped.

It was baffling to see debutant Venkatesh Iyer not bowl in the series opener, when Yuzvendra Chahal and Shardul Thakur were taken to the cleaners by Rassie van der Dussen and South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma. Rahul had said that Venkatesh would be the sixth bowling option, but did not give him an opportunity to role the arms.

If Venkatesh is played as a specialist batter at No.6, why not use Suryakumar Yadav, who is more experienced with a better range of strokes? Shreyas Iyer’s well-documented struggles against the short ball were exposed again on the day and the Mumbai batter would know that a place in the India playing eleven comes at a premium.

But going by head coach Rahul Dravid’s template, Shreyas would get his share of chances. Similarly, Shardul, despite his fifty which came when the first match as a contest was over, will have to measure up as a bowler. The India bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, would hope to come up with an improved effort against the South Africa batting department that comprises Quinton de Kock, van der Dussen and Bavuma among others.