India posted 358 on the board in the first innings on the back of tons from Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The ball was meant to go out of the boundary for a six. Aiden Markram was convinced about it. Maybe Kuldeep Yadav was convinced about it too. But Tilak Varma wasn’t. The 23-year-old Tilak Varma, who was slotted at the long-on boundary pulled off an acrobatic effort, which helped India save five runs against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur.
The incident occurred in the 20th over of the second innings. Kuldeep Yadav bowled a fullish delivery to Aiden Markram, who slogged the ball aiming to clear the long-on boundary. Almost the entire stadium was convinced that it was a maximum. But Tilak Varma has other plans. The youngster leaped into the air and put the ball back onto the field, saving five runs.
The fact that turned the incident into a jaw-dropping one for the spectators was how Tilak managed to release the ball without touching any part of the ground beyond the boundary rope. It was an exemplary display of core strength, which came at a crucial juncture in the game – considering how strong the Proteas were going despite being a wicket down.
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The Men in Blue decided to go with Ruturaj Gaikwad at No.4 in the ongoing three-match ODI series. Though the decision did not pay off in the first ODI, the results in the second ODI would reap rich rewards for Gaikwad and the Indians. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper scored a magnificent 105 at No.4 in Raipur, stitching a 195-run stand with Virat Kohli for the fifth wicket.
That being said, it would only be wise to persist with Ruturaj Gaikwad in the games to come, provided that Shreyas Iyer remains unfit to play. When the Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper returns to the ODI setup, the Indian management will have some serious questions to ponder upon, considering the way Gaikwad has played in the ODI series against South Africa.
The CSK skipper did not have the best of starts, but what stood out for him was the ability to rotate the strike at ease. If Tilak Varma is to break into the Indian XI, it would have to be in the middle-order. The No.4 spot would have been a good one for the youngster, had he got an opportunity. But the management went ahead with Gaikwad which has now reaped rich dividends.
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