Indian Batters Got Out While Attempting The Glory Shot: Madan Lal Slams Indian Team After Getting Whitewash By South Africa In ODI Series

Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal lashed out at the Indian players for playing futile shots in the final ODI match against South Africa.

On Sunday, South Africa eked out India in the final ODI match in Cape Town to win by four runs and whitewash the series 3-0.

Indian team had a tough time in South Africa

India started the South Africa tour with the hope to win their first-ever Test series in the Rainbow Nation. In fact, they did breached Proteas’ fortress in Centurion (SuperSport Park) with a 113-run win.

But the Proteas led by Dean Elgar bounced back to win the three-match Test series 2-1 and keep their winning streak against India at home intact.

South Africa whitewash India 3-0 in the ODI series to show that the new set of players are determined to win against any strong side in international cricket.

In the third ODI, India were asked to chase 288 after Quinton de Kock guided South Africa to a competitive score through his scintillating 124 runs.

Batters must take more responsibility in international cricket: Madan Lal

Shikhar Dhawan (61) and Virat Kohli (65) set the tone for the visitors with their 98-run alliance for the second wicket. But the middle-order once again failed to capitalise on the situation.

South African bowlers kept chipping wickets in regular intervals even though Indian batters like Suryakumar Yadav (39) and Deepak Chahar (54) played some great knocks to get closer to chase.

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who scored 85 in the second ODI, went for a golden duck as he charged down the wicket to strike Andile Phehlukwayo but was caught at the sweeper cover.

Madan Lal criticised the Indian batters for playing casual shots and felt that India could have won the final ODI.

“They got out while attempting the glory shot otherwise this match could have easily been won. In international matches, batters must take more responsibility. If you go in with a casual approach, you are going to keep losing matches and series like this. Apart from the first Test, we haven’t played good cricket. We have gifted games, that we should have won, to South Africa,” Madan Lal was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

“They (the players) are just very casual and are playing casual shots. Rishabh Pant played a casual shot and he didn’t keep the wicket well either, dropping two caught behind chances. We didn’t see a 100-150-run partnership. We haven’t learned from our mistakes,” he further added.

South Africa opener Quinton de Kock, who amassed 229 runs to end up as the highest run-scorer of the ODI series, was adjudged as the player of the series.

Also Read: IND vs SA: ‘What Was The Hurry?’ Sunil Gavaskar Questions Deepak Chahar’s Shot Selection In Third ODI