Dew, Toss Weigh In India-South Africa ODI Series Decider
“We are winning toss 1 in a million. Eventually, we will win the toss": India assistant coach Ryan
VISAKHAPATNAM: Stage is set for a thrilling third and final ODI match between India and South Africa at the ACA-VDCA cricket stadium in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, as the series is tied 1–1.
India’s assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate addressed the challenge of the toss with a touch of humour at the pre-match press conference on Friday.
“I think we’re one in a million statistically at the moment (the probability of losing 20 straight tosses), so if we can go two million tomorrow, that’ll be pretty impressive. But again, it’s a bit of a joke, but the responsibility or the preparation is to beat whatever is put in front of us, and eventually we’re going to win a toss anyway.”
Regarding Vizag’s high-scoring potential due to the smaller boundary, the India assistant coach said in the opening ODI, the belief had been that 320 will be a strong total.
However, the eventual score of 350 underscored how conditions push teams to think bigger. “Yes, you have to maximise. But you have to find ways in tougher conditions," Ryan underlined.
He reiterated India’s capability of extracting maximum runs given all aspects of the game.
The assistant coach stressed that for India, pressure is a constant feature, whether in bilateral affairs or tournaments. However, he said the team has learned to embrace that pressure, rather than fear it, and focus on assessing the condition, identifying par totals, and executing batting roles accordingly.
Ryan highlighted the influence of dew in the first two matches, particularly when bowling second. This weather phenomenon has emerged as a critical factor in shaping the current India-South Africa series, affecting bowling performance and forcing teams to adapt strategies in accordance with conditions. "You can't bowl 20 overs of spin," he remarked.
The assistant coach explained that Sundar has been selected primarily as a batting all-rounder for the current series. He maintained that the responsibility of wearing the India jersey is compelling players to push harder, given the differing combinations for Test and ODI squads.
“There is an element of responsibility. I think we have done pretty well so far,” Ryan underlined, observing that stacking up losses across formats stings deeply and raises the hunger to set things right.
On the contrary, South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke expressed growing comfort with his number four position, having scored half a century in the second ODI's historic 359-run chase. His innings, complemented by Aiden Markram's century, has helped level the series.
Heading into the decider, Matthew highlighted South Africa’s balanced batting line-up as a source of confidence. The presence of batters like Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, and Corbin Bosch down the order has allowed top-order batters to play with relative freedom, he said.
Matthew acknowledged South Africa’s success while batting second, but expressed preparedness for any scenario. “If we have to bat first, I'm sure we'll chat about it. We will see what the best way to go about it," said Mathew exuding confidence.
