AB de Villiers and Rohit Sharma enhanced personal reputations with scintillating centuries but it was the timely interventions of South African bowlers that secured the visitors’ five-run win over India in the first one-dayer on Sunday.
De Villiers’ unbeaten 73-ball century provided the late impetus as South Africa posted 303 for five, the highest team total at the Green Park Stadium, after deciding to bat first.
Sharma led India’s strong reply with a brilliant 150 before leg-spinner Imran Tahir turned the runfeast on its head by claiming two wickets in his final over.
Paceman Kagiso Rabada then dismissed two Indian batsmen in two deliveries in the final over to put South Africa 1-0 up in the five-match series.
India needed 22 runs of the last two overs with five wickets in hand and Dale Steyn conceded 11 before 20-year-old Rabada claimed back-to-back wickets to restrict the hosts to 298 for seven.
“I thought Imran Tahir first of all changed the game and gave us a chance,” De Villiers, who was adjudged man-of-the-match for his unbeaten 104-run blitz, told reporters.
“And lot of credit to Dale and Kagiso. The youngster proved quite handful and he has got a bright future,” added the South Africa captain who set alight the stadium with his superb stroke-making.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh will join the Indian squad as Ashwin’s cover before the second match in Indore on Wednesday.