Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan said the trick to getting his maiden ODI century in the Champions Trophy opener against South Africa was patience, conceding that it was “quite a job” adjusting to the conditions at the Swalec Stadium here.
Dhawan slammed a brilliant 114 that helped India score an imposing 331 for seven against South Africa in the opening match of the tournament on Thursday. “I am happy with the knock I played but happier because we won a game that was actually getting quite close,” he told reporters in a post-match chat.
There was another ‘maiden’ experience for Dhawan. When the team left Indian shores, it was almost certain that the left-handed Dhawan would open the batting with Murali Vijay.
But the decisive 127-run opening stand almost certainly means Dhawan’s partner for the rest of the group matches will be Rohit Sharma, who scored a polished 65. “It was nice to play with Rohit. He is such a pleasure to watch and really runs the singles very well. We adjusted to the conditions very well and once we settled down, the runs started coming. It was quite a job,” Dhawan said.
Dhawan said the absence of Dale Steyn did not make the South African attack any weaker. “Guys like (Morne) Morkel and Ryan Mclaren are well known names in the world of fast bowling. So, we knew they would attack us from the start. But we took our time to settle down and then scored off their pace,” Dhawan said.
“I quite enjoy taking pressure but today it was more about waiting for the loose balls. The wicket was good to bat but it was important not to rush into strokes. This strategy worked very well after the first powerplay,” Dhawan said.
The exposure to “nets in English conditions” did help him prepare for the game. As for stepping out to the fastest of bowlers, Dhawan said: “It’s my nature. Courage comes normally to me. I am used to it.”
The Delhi left-hander will now have to keep this form going as India play West Indies and Pakistan next in what is clearly the Group of Death.
‘Unforced errors cost us’
South African skipper AB de Villiers blamed “unforced errors” and “miscommunication in the heat of the battle” for the 26-run loss. De Villiers said losing Morne Morkel in the 34th over of due to a strain in the left leg was also quite a “shock” because he was the lynchpin of his team’s seam attack.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan bludgeoned his way to a maiden ODI century as a rejuvenated India kicked off their campaign with a comfortable victory. “But I still feel our boys fought back well to restrict India (to 331)...It could well have been 370,” he told reporters in a post-match chat.
Talking about the “unforced errors” and “miscommunication in the heat of the battle”, de Villiers recalled the dismissal of key batsmen like Robin Peterson and David Miller to silly run outs. Peterson’s exit at the team score of 155 for three proved to be a turning point. “The run outs proved to be costly but you can’t do much about them. When the players are trying to do their best and your heart is pumping, the heat of the battle makes you make errors,” De Villiers explained.
“We have to win our next two matches because in a short tournament, there are no margin for errors. We come here to win all games and we will take a lot of positives from the defeat against India,” De Villiers said.
But the skipper’s plans may take a hit because Dale Steyn is still doubtful for next game against Pakistan in Birmingham. “We will assess the situation every day and then hope for the best, but missing both Steyn and Morkel will be a massive blow,” he said.
Morkel was rushed to a doctor for scans in his left quadriceps. He may take a maximum of seven days to recover, according to the South African team doctor.