Cricket
What was he thinking?!
Updated : Feb 01, 2018, 06:18 PM IST
South Africa won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat in the first ODI against India at the Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban on Thursday.
Skipper Faf du Plessis had spoken about the visitors' threat on Wednesday and the first ODI of the six-match series was being looked at as a must-win game.
The hosts, though, managed to peg themselves back quite early on in the match on Thursday.
South Africa got off to a decent start thanks to openers Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock. The run-rate wasn't very high in the first five overs but they hadn't lost a wicket.
India, though, struck soon enough with Jasprit Bumrah trapping Amla in front. The experienced right-hander wisely chose to not take a review, the ball was indeed crashing in to his stumps.
While Amla's decision against taking a review was right, De Kock got it all wrong a few overs later.
The left-hander missed a delivery from leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as he tried to find the mid-wicket gap. The Indians went up in appeal and the umpire didn't hesitate in raising his finger.
De Kock was batting well on 34 off 49 at that time and his presence would've surely propelled the hosts to a big score batting first. After all, he had scored hundreds in the last three ODIs he had played against India.
The keeper-bat walked off without taking a review. As it turned out, though, DRS showed that the ball was missing the stumps by a huge margin.
Twitter was quick to notice De Kock's mistake and pointed it out in no uncertain terms
Quinton de Kock wears a disappointed look in the dressing room as the replay of his dismissal shows the ball missing leg stump. Would have been overturned had he opted to review.
— Rajeev Ranjan Ealiene (@RRealiene) February 1, 2018
Brainfreeze from Quinton De Kock? Was clearly sliding down leg, even to the naked eye as he walked away after being given out.
— Prasen Moudgal (@Prasen_m4299) February 1, 2018
Could prove to be costly in the context of the game. #INDvsSA
One of the two South African openers scored hundreds in their last four ODI matches against India at home. Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock collectively scored 50 runs today. #SAvIND
— #MSDhoni #INDvAUS (@im_Dhoni) February 1, 2018
Quinton de KOCK has had such an appalling series. #SAvsIndia
— Prince Ngcobo (@Prince_Ngcobo_) February 1, 2018
In the last four ODIs played against India in South Africa, this is the first time Quinton de Kock had been dismissed without crossing a ton. #INDvSA
— Prasad RS (@PrasadrsTOI) February 1, 2018
India: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal.
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (C), Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram, JP Duminy, David Miller, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.