Former South Africa cricketer Dale Steyn feels that KL Rahul can go on to score hundreds if he elevates his position in the batting order. The India wicketkeeper-batter has batted at the No.5 position so far in the series and has scored fifties in both the games. He has helped the team in finishing the innings on a strong note and will be looking to score more runs in the third and final ODI of the assignment.
Steyn remarked that Rahul is well aware of his role in the team and praised him for playing sensational knocks in the first two games of the series. Notably, the 33-year-old has recorded scores of 60 and 66* in the first and second match respectively.
"He just knows how to do it. Again, if he batted 3 or if he opened the batting, I am pretty certain he would also go on to get the hundreds because of the lack of deliveries faced. But those positions are for other players, and he knows what his role is within this team. And both games so far, he has played fantastic innings,” Steyn said on Star Sports.
"A good, handy knock set by the skipper, KL, and he led his team well in the first one, managed to up the ante when he needed to. And again today, there was a period where he went semi-slow with Jadeja. South Africa bowled well in that little transitional period there, and the last over picked up the most expensive over of the innings,” he added.
Series hangs in the balance
Meanwhile, South Africa went on to level the three-match ODI series at 1-1 with their four-wicket victory over India in the second match. The Men in Blue had once again batted incredibly well and had handed a target of 359 runs to the visitors after both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Virat Kohli had scored phenomenal centuries.
South Africa's successful run-chase in 2nd ODI
In reply, opener Aiden Markram provided the Proteas with a strong start to the chase and went on to play a stunning knock of 110 runs. Both Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis also went on to score half-centuries while Corbin Bosch played an unbeaten cameo of 29 under pressure as the visitors chased down the target with just four deliveries left to spare. It remains to be seen as to which of the two teams comes out on top in the series deciding third ODI that will be played on December 6.