India Dominate South Africa, Kohli’s Century and Jadeja’s Five-Wicket Haul Secure Convincing Win

Rob Walter’s humility shines through in his role as South Africa’s head coach. This quality proves invaluable when faced with the task of explaining a resounding defeat, as was the case following India’s crushing 243-run victory in a men’s World Cup match at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Walter’s level-headed approach made him the ideal choice to address the team’s shortcomings.

The highly anticipated clash between the tournament’s top two teams, both boasting impressive records, turned into a one-sided affair. India amassed a formidable 326/5, with Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 101 equaling Sachin Tendulkar‘s ODI world record of 49 centuries. South Africa’s response, however, was nothing short of disastrous. Ravindra Jadeja’s sensational 5/33 bowling performance dismantled the Proteas innings, reducing them to a mere 83 all out in 27.1 overs, their heaviest-ever defeat by runs in the format. India’s powerplay score of 91 alone surpassed South Africa’s entire innings total. This resounding victory left everyone wondering how things had gone so horribly wrong for the Proteas.

“An excellent question, and a significant understatement,” Walter acknowledged. “Today, we were simply outplayed. While they raced off to a quick start, we managed to recover somewhat. However, their total was too much to chase on this pitch. And then, from a bowling perspective, they applied pressure from the outset, leaving us with no opportunity to regain control.”

South Africa’s batting lineup, boasting a combined eight centuries in the tournament’s first seven games, faltered against India’s bowling attack. Renowned for their big-hitting prowess, Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, and Heinrich Klaasen contributed a mere 28 runs collectively, with Klaasen’s 13 being the highest score among them.

Marco Jansen, the tournament’s leading new-ball bowler with 18 powerplay wickets, struggled to find his rhythm against India’s openers. His first four overs conceded 43 runs, setting the tone for a disappointing spell that ended with career-worst figures of 1/94 at an economy rate of 9.72.

Walter expressed confidence that Jansen’s confidence wouldn’t be shaken by this setback: “Isn’t it a privilege to perform in front of thousands in a match like today, with so many opportunities to learn? He had a rough day, but he has the talent to bounce back and be effective next time. He now understands what it’s like to compete in a pressure cooker with so many people cheering against you. That experience is irreplaceable. You can’t find it anywhere else.”

While both teams had already secured their places in the semifinals before Sunday’s match, the prospect of facing India again in the knockout stages didn’t escape Walter’s mind.

“You have to believe that if you execute your skills well on the day, you have a chance. Today, we didn’t do that from the start.

“However, every day brings new lessons and surprises. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if we turned the tables the next time we meet. The beauty of it is that we may have another chance.”

South Africa’s supporters will take solace in the fact that their team didn’t defeat themselves; instead, they succumbed to a superior opponent. Walter echoed this sentiment: “The scoreboard speaks for itself. India was far superior, there’s no disputing that.

“Just as we’ve been far superior to other teams that, on paper, seemed evenly matched or even inferior to us.

“In international cricket, once you gain the upper hand, anyone can beat anyone. Today, the Indian team took control, and we were unable to regain momentum.”

Despite the heavy defeat, the South Africans didn’t take it lightly: “If you enter the dressing room now, you’ll find a group of guys deeply disappointed that we weren’t able to honor what was an incredible occasion and a fantastic opportunity to showcase our talents. We’ve played so well throughout this World Cup, and we would have wanted nothing more than for this to be a great contest.”

Walter’s team will need to regroup quickly for a potentially challenging final league match against Afghanistan in Ahmedabad on Friday. “Our focus for the next four days remains the same: utilizing the available time to prepare for the next fixture, and then it’s onto the semi-final. Nothing changes.

“The guys have put in a lot of hard work, and we’ve invested a great deal of time in our preparation. Now, it’s about recovering mentally and physically and being ready to compete the way we have throughout the tournament.”

But not, as he didn’t have to say, the way they failed to do on Sunday.