Visakhapatnam witnessed a spirited Indian fightback as Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav ran through South Africa’s batting line-up to bowl them out for 270 in the crucial third ODI. After a shaky start for the hosts, it was India’s bowlers who turned the tide, keeping the series alive and putting South Africa under pressure in a must-win clash for the home side.
Pacer Prasidh Krishna led the charge with a stunning four-wicket haul, repaying the faith shown in him by head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain KL Rahul. He dismantled the South African middle order, removing key batters including Matthew Breetzke, Aiden Markram and the dangerous Quinton de Kock, who was on course for a much bigger total. Prasidh’s bursts in the middle overs halted South Africa’s momentum and brought India firmly back into the contest.
Spin wizard Kuldeep Yadav played the perfect supporting role, also picking up four wickets of his own. With his variations and subtle changes of pace, Kuldeep troubled the Proteas’ batters and ensured regular breakthroughs at the other end. The disciplined bowling effort was backed by sharp fielding, with veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli pulling off excellent catches that lifted the energy in the Indian camp.
Despite India’s dominance in patches, South Africa found resistance through Quinton de Kock, who struck a fine century. His 106 was the backbone of the innings and helped the visitors reach a competitive 270 before being dismissed. However, once de Kock departed, the rest of the batting order struggled to handle India’s attacking bowlers.
With South Africa all out for 270, the stage is set for an intense chase. India must secure a win to clinch the series and avoid a second consecutive ODI series defeat. The onus will now be on the Indian top order to convert the bowlers’ remarkable effort into a series-levelling performance on a pitch that has offered both pace and turn throughout the day.