IND vs SA: "Ice Bath And Wickets Like These...": KL Rahul's Strange Reaction On 'Tough' Pitch In Thiruvananthapuram

Indian Cricketer KL Rahul guided India’s chase against South Africa in Thiruvananthapuram on a difficult pitch.

Suryakumar Yadav (50 not out in 33 balls) relieved the pressure caused by Rahul (51 not out, 56 balls) as India won the game in 16.4 overs and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The T20I series between Team India and South Africa got off to a respectable 8-wicket start on Wednesday in Thiruvananthapuram. The Men in Blue completed the pursuit of the mark with 20 balls remaining after holding the Proteas to a meagre 106/8 in 20 overs. The undefeated 93-run stand between KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar destroyed the opposition’s top order.

After three years, Team India visited Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield Stadium, and supporters were eager to see their favourite athletes perform. Outside the stadium, life-size cutouts of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were already there, and in one matchday, a sizable crowd arrived to support India.

Ice baths and wickets like these are not something we enjoy: KL Rahul

The hitters battled on a pitch with underlying wetness and more than waist height bounce at moments, and Rahul explained why after the game.

“Certainly, right up there (as the toughest pitch). We have played in difficult conditions like this before, but I did not get any runs, so it was tough work.”

“We saw how balls were flying, nipping around, two-paced, and everything that might be difficult for a hitter who was the wicket today, and for Surya to come with that approach after the first ball that struck him, he just woke up and wanted to play his shots, be aggressive, and take on the bowling. That allowed me to take my time and focus on one end “KL Rahul stated after the game.

“Long ice bath today. Ice baths and wickets like these are not something we enjoy, but we have to do it sometimes.”

The hosts ultimately prevailed by eight wickets in the inaugural T20I between South Africa and India in a low-scoring thriller. With their effective swing bowling, pace bowlers Arshdeep Singh (3/32) and Deepak Chahar (2/24) kept South Africa to 106/8. Although the chase was not easy, half-centuries from Kl Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav helped India cross the finish line in 16.4 overs.

Also Read: IND vs SA: We Didn’t Expect The Pitch To Be This Spicy – Proteas Skipper Temba Bavuma