India vs South Africa ODI series delivered a chaotic, gripping and unpredictable finale the kind that defines a rivalry built on fine margins and sudden shifts in momentum. Since the time KL Rahul managed to win the turn of the coin after 100 consecutive losses, everything shifted. India had been playing on the uphill all series due to the conditions that were heavily affected by dew but this is the time when the coin came their way and the team utilized the conditions in a clear and deliberate manner. This was followed by a total act that demonstrated maturity, adjustability and brutality in critical moments.

India began by being disciplined. Arshdeep Singh hit the jackpot with the first ball of this new season, sending Ryan Rickelton back to the dressing-room with a duck and the weakness of the reshuffled South Africa top order put to the test. Harshit Rana supported him with a damsel on a surface, which offered premature holding and unbalanced toss. However, when the situation left South Africa on the guard, Quinton de Kock altered the pace. His open and flowing strokes particularly against Prasidh Krishna in the initial stages gave the impression that the ton pitch was put at his ease. His century, his 7th in the series against India was yet another episode in De Kock going on to dominate this particular rivalry. South Africa were already demanding conditions at a rate of 170 to 2, the menace of 330 or more very much chewed.

But the series of India vs South Africa ODI matches has been characterised by furious turns and the turn next came across through a sudden firebrand. At 27, Krishna was battered but he came back with intent in the following two overs. His length foamed, the ball rolled and Breetzke, Markram and de Kock were away. All within minutes. India absorbed energy, the crowd got their voices and the score board broke down. South Africa had ceased to cruiser-trade and had become a scrambler.

Kuldeep Yadav then took over. It happened as Bowling was being tried out in the series with a bound-dry ball the first time, was made to be unplayable. His misguided ones were detained in the pitch, his flight opened false strokes his variations of pace induced misjudgment. He tore his way up through the lower middle order taking four wickets with the prolific ease. Over 10 overs the ambition of South Africa had dropped to 350 out of 270 with the South Africa indicating that the goal had not reached anywhere between 40 at the time of posting the goal. It was 6collapsed out of 84 and India presented the Indian walk away into knowing that they had got hold of control.

The pursuit of India required serenity at the beginning when Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi detected swing in the lights. Rohit Sharma provided precisely that  peace, calmness and intelligent mischief. He came out often without necessarily to score and rattle lengths. In the meantime Yashasvi Jaiswal, who, on a new platform, in which he is still accommodating himself, struggled at a slow, scratchy beginning. The breaking point came when the ball became soft. Rohit threw back the vintage strokes pulls, chips and skips along the track. His 75/73 was authoritative, fluent and highly influential. By the time he dropped, India had the total control.

The story of Jaiswal took the form of transformation. Having crawled to 50 off 75 balls, he murdered up to 9 and 14 to the maiden ODI century with a galloping spurt, securing the marker with grace and becoming the first among the Indian teams to record a century by all three forms. His celebration was full of relief, joy and validation.

The grand finale was the role of Virat Kohli. He walked out with all intentions of entertaining, and hit sixes with such incredible dexterity. It was his most productive series in hitting more sixes than any other ODI series he had ever played in his career and his Zenith 65 off 45 balls provided an exclamation mark crowning things off. Having over 10 overs to go, India secured a nine-wicket victory that was emphatic, authoritative and well deserved.

The India vs South Africa ODI series concludes with India showing that there is no change in their power at home as that of adaptability and temperament. South Africa demonstrated spurts, de Kock glowed their bowlers had been harassing India but the profundity and swagger of their homeland had proved decisive in the end. It was not only the win but a reminder of the fact that even on changing grounds the most successful teams know when to strike, and the win meant a lot to India.

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