It was a debut to remember Sai Sudharshan whose unbeaten fifty helped Team India get a 8-wicket victory against South Africa in the 1st ODI on December 18.
Deciding to bat first, The Proteas got off to the worst possible start with opener Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen being dismissed on a duck on back-to-back deliveries by Arshdeep Singh.
Arshdeep Singh ended his spell with a briiliant fifer while his teammate Avesh khan got himself 4 wickets as well. The duo bamboozled the SOuth African batting lineup and restricted them to a mere 116 in the end.
In reply, it wasn’t a decent return for Ruturaj Gaikwad who got sent back to the pavilion on just 5 runs in the beginning courtesy of Wiaan Mulder.
However, what followed was a strategic partnership between debutant Sai Sudharshan and Shreyas Iyer who stitched up a resilient 88-run partnership to steer Team India to victory.
Sai Sudharshan couldn’t have wished for a better start to his ODI career, completing his half century which consisted of 9 boundaries.
Shreyas Iyer on the other hand continued his decent ODI form which helped India during the ODI World Cup as well.
The special mention however goes to Arshdeep Singh who became the first Indian pacer to take a fifer versus South Africa in ODIs.
The win gives India a 1-0 lead which they’ll take into the next game hoping to seal the ODI series then and there itself.
